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SHAKESPEARE'S 
JULIUS CAESAR 



WITH INTRODUCTION, NOTES, AND 

EXAMINATION PAPERS . 

(selected) *— .-- — -- 



BY 



BRAINERD KELLOGG, LL.D. 

Professor of the English Language and Literature in the 

Polytechnie Institute of Brooklyn, and one of the 

authors of Reed and Kellogg'' s Language Series 



NEW YORK 
MAYNARD, MERRILL, & CO., PUBLISHERS 



7128 

64ii2 

SHAKESPEARE'S PLAYS 

WITH NOTES 

MERCHANT OF VENICE ' 'JoL p ' 

KING HENRY V. A D \< 

AS YOU LIKE IT ■ • 'Z -6 /j './- 

JULIUS CAESAR 

KING LEAR 

MACBETH 

TEMPEST 

HAMLET 

KING HENRY VIII. 

KING HENRY IV. Part I. 

KING RICHARD III. 

THE WINTER'S TALE 

TWELFTH NIGHT 

KING JOHN 

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING ^ m- 

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM ^ 

OTHELLO 

CORIOLANUS 

ROMEO AND JULIET 



Copyright, 1900, 
Bt MAYNAKD, MEERILL, & CO. 



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EDITOR'S NOTE 



The text here presented, adapted for use in mixed 
classes, has been carefully collated with that of six or 
seven of the latest and best editions. Where there was 
any disagreement those readings have been adopted 
which seemed most reasonable and were supported by 
the best authority. 

Professor Meiklejohn's exhaustive notes form the sub- 
stance of those here used ; and his plan, as set forth in 
the " General Notice" annexed, has been carried out in 
these volumes. But as these plays are intended rather 
for pupils in school and college than for ripe Shake- 
spearian scholars, we have not hesitated to prune his 
notes of whatever was thought to be too learned for our 
purpose, or on other grounds was deemed irrelevant to 
it. The notes of other Euglish editors have been freely 
incorporated. 



GENEEAL NOTICE 

"An attempt has been made in these new editions to 
interpret Shakespeare by the aid of Shakespeare himself. 
The Method of Comparison has been constantly em- 
ployed ; and the language used by him in one place has 
been compared with the language used in other places in 
similar circumstances, as well as with older English and 
with newer English. The text has been as carefully 
and as thoroughly annotated as the text of any Greek or 
Latin classic. 

"The first purpose in this elaborate annotation is, of 
course, the full working out of Shakespeare's meaning. 
The Editor has in all circumstances taken as much pains 
with this as if he had been making out the difficult and 
obscure terms of a will in which he himself was per- 
sonally interested ; and he submits that this thorough 
excavation of the meaning of a really profound thinker 
is one of the very best kinds of training that a boy or 
girl can receive at school. This is to read the very mind 
of Shakespeare, and to weave his thoughts into the fibre 
of one's own mental constitution. And always new re- 
wards come to the careful reader — in the shape of new 
meanings, recognition of thoughts he had before missed, 

5 



6 GENERAL NOTICE 

of relations between the characters that had hitherto 
escaped him. For reading Shakespeare is just like ex- 
amining Nature ; there are no hollownesses, there is no 
scamped work, for Shakespeare is as patiently exact and 
as first-hand as Nature herself. 

" Besides this thorough working-out of Shakespeare's 
meaning, advantage has "been taken of the opportunity 
to teach his English — to make each play an introduction 
to the English of Shakespeare. For this purpose copi- 
ous collections of similar phrases have been gathered from 
other plays ; his idioms have been dwelt upon ; his pe- 
culiar use of words ; his style and his rhythm. Some 
teachers may consider that too many instances are given ; 
but, in teaching, as in everything else, the old French 
saying is true : Assez ii'y «, sHl trop ii'y a. The teacher 
need not require each pupil to give him all the instances 
collected. If each gives one or two, it will probably be 
enough ; and, among them all, it is certain that one or 
two will stick in the memory. It is probable that, for 
those pupils who do not study either Greek or Latin, this 
close examination of every word and phrase in the text of 
Shakespeare will be the best substitute that can be found 
for the study of the ancient classics. 

" It were much to be hoped that Shakespeare should 
become more and more of a study, and that every boy 
and girl should have a thorough knowledge of at least 
one play of Shakespeare before leaving school. It would 
be one of the best lessons in human life, without the 
chance of a polluting or degrading experience. It would 



GENERAL JVOTICE 7 

also have the effect of bringing back into the too pale 
and formal English of modern times a large number of 
pithy and vigorous phrases which would help to develop 
as well as to reflect vigor in the characters of the readers. 
Shakespeare used the English language with more power 
than any other writer that ever lived — he made it do 
more and say more than it had ever done ; he made it 
speak in a more original way ; and his combinations of 
words are perpetual provocations and invitations to origi- 
nality and to newness of insight." — J. M, D. Meikle- 
joHN, M.A,, Professor of the TJieory, History, and 
Practice of Education in the University of St. Andrews.. 



SHAKESPEAEE'S GEAMMAR 

Shakespeare lived at a time when the grammar and 
vocabulary of the English language were in a state of 
transition. Various points were not yet settled ; and so 
Shakespeare's grammar is not only somewhat different 
from our own but is by no means uniform in itself. In 
the Elizabethan age, "Almost any part of speech can 
be used as any other part of speech. An adverb can be 
used as a verb, ' They askance their eyes ' ; as a noun, 

* the backward and abysm of time ' ; or as an adjective, 
*a seldom pleasure.' Any noun, adjective, or intransi- 
tive verb can be used as a transitive verb. You can 

* happy ' your friend, ' malice ' or ' foot ' your enemy, or 

* fall ' an axe on his neck. An adjective can be used as 
an adverb ; and you can speak and act ' easy,' ' free,' ' ex- 
cellent ' ; or as a noun, and you can talk of ' fair ' instead 
of ' beauty,' and 'a pale' instead of 'a paleness.' Even 
the pronouns are not exempt from these metamorphoses. 
A ' he ' is used for a man, and a lady is described by a 
gentleman as ' the fairest she he has yet beheld.' In the 
second place, every variety of apparent grammatical in- 
accuracy meets us. He for him, him for he ; spoke and 
took for spoken and taken ; plural nominatives with singu- 

8 



GRAMMAR AND VERSIFICATION 9 

lar verbs ; relatives omitted wliere they are now consid- 
ered necessary ; unnecessary antecedents inserted ; shall 
£or will^ should for would, would for wish; to omitted 
after / ought, inserted after I durst ; double nega- 
tives ; double comparatives (-more better,' etc.) and su- 
perlatives ; such followed by which, that by as, as used 
for as if; that for so that ; and lastly some verbs appar- 
ently with two nominatives, and others without any nom- 
inative at all." — Dr. Abbott's Shakesperian Grammar. 



SHAKESPEAKE'S VERSIFICATION 

Shakespeare's plays are written mainly in what is 
known as blank verse; but they contain a number of 
riming, and a considerable number of prose, lines. As 
a rule, rime is much commoner in the earlier than in the 
later plays. Thus, Love''s Lahor''s Lost contains nearly 
1100 riming lines, while (if we except the songs) Winter''s 
Tale has none. The Merchant of Venice has 124. 

In speaking, we lay a stress on particular syllables ; 
this stress is called acce^it. When the words of a com- 
position are so arranged that the accent recurs at regular 
Intervals, the composition is said to be rhythmical. In 
blank verse the lines consist usually of ten syllables, of 
which the second, fourth, sixth, eighth, and tenth are 
accented. The line consists, therefore, of five parts, 
each of which contains an unaccented, followed by an ac- 
cented syllable, as in the word " attend." Each of these 



10 VERSIFICATION 

five parts forms what is called a foot or measure ; and 
the five together form a pentameter. "Pentameter" is 
a Greek word signifying "five measures." This is the 
usual form of a line of blank verse. But a long poem 
composed entirely of such lines would be monotonous, 
and for the sake of variety several important modifica- 
tions have been introduced. 

(a) After the tenth syllable, one or two unaccented 
syllables are sometimes added ; as — 

" Me-thought I you said I you nei I ther lend I nor hor \ row.''^ 

(&) In any foot the accent may be shifted from the sec- 
ond to the first syllable, provided two accented syllables 
do not come together. 

"Pluck' the I young suck' \ ing cubs' \ from the' I she hear'.'''' 

(c) In such words as "yesterday," "voluntary," "hon- 
esty," the syllables -day, -ta-, and -ty falling in the place 
of the accent, are, for the purposes of the verse, regarded 
as truly accented. 

^^ Bars' me I the right' I of vol'- 1 im-ta' I ry choos' \ ing. " 

(d) Sometimes we have a succession of accented sylla- 
bles ; this occurs with monosyllabic feet only. 

"TFAy, Qiow, blow wind, swell billow, and swim bark.'^'' 

(e) Sometimes, but more rarely, two or even three 
unaccented syllables occupy the place of one ; as — 

'■'■He says I he does, 1 be-ing the7i \ most flat\ter-ed.'''^ 



VERSIFICATION 11 

(/) Lines may have any number of feet from one to six. 

Finally, Shakespeare adds much to the pleasing variety 
of his blank verse by placing the pauses in different parts 
of the line (especially after the second or third foot), 
instead of placing them all at the ends of lines, as was 
the earlier custom. 

N.B. — In some cases the rhythm requires that what 
we usually pronounce as one syllable shall be divided 
into two, as fi-er (fire), su-er (sure), mi-el (mile), etc. ; 
too-elve (twelve), jaw-ee (joy), etc. Similarly, she-on 
(-tion or -sion). 

It is very important to give the pupil plenty of ear- 
training by means of formal scansion. This will greatly 
assist him in his reading. 



PLAN OF STUDY FOE ^^ PERFECT 

POSSESSION'^ 

To attain to the standard of " Perfect Possession," the 
reader ought to have an intimate and ready knowledge 
of the subject. 

The student ought, first of all, to read the play as a 
pleasure ; then to read it over again, with his mind upon 
the characters and the plot ; and lastly, tc read it for the 
meanings, grammar, etc. 

With the help of the scheme, he can easily draw up 
for himself short examination papers (1) on each scene, 
(2) on each act, (3) on the whole play. 

1. The Plot and Story of the Play. 

(a) The general plot ; 

(b) The special incidents. 

2. The Characters : Ability to give a connected account 

of all that is done, and most of what is said by each 
character in the play. 

3. The Influence and Interplay of the Characters upon 

each other. 

(a) Relation of A to B and of B to A ; 
(6) Relation of A to C and D. 
12 



PLAN OF STUDY 13 

4. Complete Possession of the Language. 

(a) Meanings of words ; 

(&) Use of old words, or of words in an old 
meaning ; 

(c) Grammar ; 

(d) Ability to quote lines to illustrate a gram- 

matical point. 

5. Power to Reproduce, or Quote. 

(a) What was said by A or B on a particular 

occasion ; 
(&) What was said by A in reply to B ; 
(c) What argument was used by C at a particular 

juncture ; 
{d) To quote a line in instance of an idiom or of 

a peculiar meaning. 

6. Power to Locate. 

(a) To attribute a line or statement to a certain 

person on a certain occasion ; 
(6) To cap a line ; 
(c) To fill in the right word or epithet. 



INTRODUCTION 



William Shakespeare. — "He was born, it is thought, 
April 23, 1564, the son of a comfortable burgess of Strat- 
ford-on-Avon, While he was still young, his father fell 
into poverty, and an interrupted education left the son an 
inferior scholar. He had ' small Latin and less Greek. ' 
But by dint of genius and by living in a society in which 
all sorts of information were attainable, he became an 
accomplished man. The story told of his deer-stealing in 
Charlecote woods is without proof, but it is likely that 
his youth was wild and passionate. At nineteen, he^ 
married Ann Hathaway, seven years older than himself, 
and was probably unhappy with her. For this reason or 
from poverty, or from the driving of the genius that led 
him to the stage, he left Stratford about 1586-1587, and 
went to London at the age of twenty-two, and, falling in 
with Marlowe, Greene, and the rest, Became an actor and 
a playwright, and may have lived their unrestrained and 
riotous life for some years. 

"His First Period. — It is probable that before leaving 
Stratford he had sketched a part at least of his Vemis 
and Adonis. It is full of the country sights and sounds, 

14 



INTRODUCTION 15 

of the ways of birds and animals, such as he saw when 
wandering in Charlecote woods. Its rich and overladen 
poetry and its warm coloring made him, when it was 
published, 1591-1593, at once the favorite of men like 
Lord Southampton, and lifted him into fame. But be- 
fore that date he had done work for the stage by touch- 
ing up old plays, and writing new ones. We seem to 
trace his ' prentice hand ' in many dramas of the time, 
but the first he is usually thought to have retouched is 
Titus Andronicus^ and, some time after, the First Part 
of Henry VI. 

^'Love''s Labor'' s Lost, the first of his original plays, in 
which he quizzed and excelled the Euphuists in wit, was 
followed by the rapid farce of the Comedy of Errors. Out 
of these frolics of intellect and action he passed into pure 
poetry in the Midsummer Nights Dream, and mingled 
into fantastic beauty the classic legend, the mediseval 
' fairyland, and the clownish life of the English mechanic. 
Italian story then laid its charm upon him, and the Two 
Gentlemen of Verona preceded the southern glow of pas- 
sion in Borneo and Juliet, in which he first reached tragic 
power. They complete, with Love''s Labor^s Won, after- 
wards recast as AlVs Well That Ends Well, the love plays 
of his early period. We may, perhaps, add to them the 
second act of an older play, Edward III. We should 
certainly read along with them, as belonging to the same 
passionate time, his Bape of Lucrece, a poem finally 
printed in 1594, one year later than the Venus and Adonis. 
The patriotic feeling of England, also represented in 



16 INTRODUCTION 

Marlowe and Peele, now seized on Mm, and he turned 
from love to begin his great series of historical plays with 
Bichard II., 1593-1594. Bichard III. followed quickly. 
To introduce it and to complete the subject, he recast 
the Second and Third Parts of Henry VI. (written by 
some unknown authors) , and ended his first period with 
King John ; five plays in a little more than two years. 

" His Second Period, 1596-1602. — In The Merchant of 
Venice Shakespeare reached entire mastery over his art. 
A mingled woof of tragic and comic threads is brought 
to its highest point of color when Portia and Shylock 
meet in court. Pure comedy followed in his retouch, of 
the old Taming of the Shrew., and all the wit of the 
world, mixed with noble history, met next in the three 
comedies of Falstaff, the First and Second Parts of 
Henry IV., and the Merry Wives of Windsor. The his- 
torical plays were then closed with Henry V., a splendid 
dramatic song to the glory of England. 

" The Globe theatre, in which he was one of the proprie- 
tors, was built in 1599. In the comedies he wrote for it, 
Shakespeare turned to write of love again, not to touch 
its deeper passion as before, but to play with it in all 
its lighter phases. The flashing dialogue of Much Ado 
About Nothing was followed by the far-off forest world 
of As You Like It, where ' the time fleets carelessly,* 
and Rosalind's character is the play. Amid all its gra- 
cious lightness steals in a new element, and the melan- 
choly of Jaques is the first touch we have of the older 
Shakespeare who had ' gained his experience, and whose 



INTRODUCTION 17 

experience had made him sad.' And yet it was but a 
touch ; Twelfth Night shows no trace of it, though the 
play that followed, AlVs Well That Ends Well, again 
strikes a sadder note. We find this sadness fully grown 
in the later sonnets, which are said to have been finished 
about 1602. They were published in 1609. 

" Shakespeare's life changed now, and his mind changed 
with it. He had grown wealthy during this period and 
famous, and was loved by society. He was the friend of 
the Earls of Southampton and Essex, and of William 
Herbert, Lord Pembroke. The queen patronized him ; 
all the best literary society was his own. He had rescued 
his father from poverty, bought the best house in Strat- 
ford and much land, and was a man of wealth and com- 
fort. Suddenly all his life seems to have grown dark. 
His best friends fell into ruin, Essex perished on the 
scaffold, Southampton went to the Tower, Pembroke was 
banished from the Court ; he may himself, as some have 
thought, have been concerned in the rising of Essex. 
Added to this, we may conjecture, from the imaginative 
pageantry of the sonnets, that he had unwisely loved, 
and been betrayed in his love by a dear friend. Disgust 
of his profession as an actor, and public and private ill 
weighed heavily on him, and in darkness of spirit, though 
still clinging to the business of the theatre, he passed 
from comedy to write of the sterner side of the world, to 
tell the tragedy of mankind. 

" His Third Period, 1602-1608, begins with the last days 
of Queen Elizabeth. It contains all the great tragedies, 



18 INTRODUCTION 

and opens with the fate of Hamlet, who felt, like tlie 
poet himself, that 'the time was out of joint.' Hamlet, 
the dreamer, may well represent Shakespeare as he 
stood aside from the crash that overwhelmed his friends, 
and thought on the changing world. The tragi-comedy 
of Measure for Measure was next written, and is tragic 
in thought throughout. Julius Caesar, Othello, Macbeth, 
Lear, Troilus and Cressida (finished from an incomplete 
work of his youth), Antony and Cleopatra, Coriolanus, 
Timon (only in part his own) were all written in these 
five years. The darker sins of men, the unpitying fate 
which slowly gathers round and falls on men, the aveng- 
ing wrath of conscience, the cruelty and punishment of 
weakness, the treachery, lust, jealousy, ingratitude, mad- 
ness of men, the follies of the great, and the fickleness 
of the mob, are all, with a thousand other varying moods 
and passions, painted, and felt as his own while he. painted 
them, during this stern time. 

" His Fourth Period, 1608-1613. — As Shakespeare wrote 
of these things, he passed out of them, and his last days 
are full of the gentle and loving calm of one who has 
known sin and sorrow and fate but has risen above them 
into peaceful victory. Like his great contemporary. 
Bacon, he left the world and his own evil time behind 
him, and with the same quiet dignity sought the inno- 
cence and stillness of country life. The country breathes 
through all the dramas of this time. The flowers Per- 
dita gathers in Winter'' s Tale, and the frolic of the sheep- 
shearing he may have seen in the Stratford meadows ; 



INTRODUCTION 19 

tlie song of ridele in Cymheline is written "by one who 
already feared no more tlie frown of the great, nor slan- 
der nor censure rash, and was looking forward to the 
time when men should say of him — 

' Quiet consummation have ; 
And renowned be thy grave ! ' 

" Shakespeare probably left London in 1609, and lived 
in the house he had bought at Stratford-on-Avon, He 
was reconciled, it is said, to his wife, and the plays he 
writes speak of domestic peace and forgiveness. The 
story of Marina^ which he left unfinished, and which two 
later writers expanded into the play of Pericles, is the 
first, of his closing series of dramas. The Two Noble 
Kinsmen of Fletcher, a great part of which is now, on 
doubtful grounds, I think, attributed to Shakespeare, 
and in which the poet sought the inspiration of Chaucer, 
would belong to this period. Cymheline, Winter's Tale, 
and the Tempest bring his history up to 1612, and in the 
next year he closed his poetic life by writing, with 
Fletcher, Henry VIII. For three years he kept silence, 
and then, on the 23d of April, 1616, the day he reached 
the age of fifty-two, as is supposed, he died. 

" His Work. — We can only guess with regard to Shake- 
speare's life ; we can only guess with regard to his charac- 
ter. It has been tried to find out what he was from his 
sonnets and from his plays, but every attempt seems to 
be a failure. We cannot lay our hand on anything and 
say for certain that it was spoken by Shakespeare out of 



20 INTRODUCTION 

his own character. The most personal thing in all his 
writings is one that has scarcely been noticed. It is the 
Epilogue to the Tempest ; and if it be, as is most proba- 
ble, the last thing he ever wrote, then its cry for forgive- 
ness, its tale of inward sorrow, only to be relieved by 
prayer, give us some dim insight into how the silence 
of those three years was passed ; while its declaration of 
his aim in writing, ' which was to please,' — the true defi- 
nition of an artist's aim, — should make us very cautious 
in our efforts to define his character from his works. 
Shakespeare made men and women whose dramatic 
action on each other, and towards a catastrophe, was 
intended to please the public, not to reveal himself. 

" No commentary on his writings, no guesses about his 
life or character, are worth much which do not rest on 
this canon as their foundation : "What he did, thought, 
learned, and felt, he did, thought, learned, and felt as an 
artist. And he was never less the artist, through all the 
changes of the time. Fully influenced, as we see in 
Hamlet he was, by the graver and more philosophic cast 
of thought of the later time of Elizabeth ; passing on 
into the reign of James I., when pedantry took the 
place of gayety, and sensual the place of imaginative 
love in the drama, and artificial art the place of that 
art which itself is nature ; he preserves to the last the 
natural passion, the simple tenderness, the sweetness, 
grace, and fire of the youthful Elizabethan poetry. The 
Winter''s Tale is as lovely a love story as Borneo and 
Juliet, the Tempest is more instinct with imagination 



INTRODUCTION 21 

than the Midsummer Nighfs Dream, and as great in 
fancy, and yet there are fully twenty years between 
them. The only change is in the increase of power, and 
in a closer and graver grasp of human nature. Around 
him the whole tone and manner of the drama altered 
for the worse as his life went on, but his work grew to 
the close in strength and beauty." — Stopford Brooke. 

HISTORY OF THE PLAY 

"This tragedy embraces two memorable years of Roman 
history. It commences with the festival of the Lupercalia 
in February 44 b.c, or in the year of Rome 709. Caesar 
had in the preceding autumn returned triumphant from 
Spain, having defeated the sons of Pompey, and been ap- 
pointed consul for a period of ten years and dictator for 
life. To fill the measure of Caesar's ambition, or of his 
own adulation, Mark Antony then offered him the regal 
crown or diadem, which Caesar reluctantly refused, and in 
one month afterwards (March 15) the great soldier and 
statesman fell under the swords of the assassins. The 
incidents of the conspiracy and death having been depicted 
with all the dramatist's marvellous power and truth, he 
hurries over the succeeding events, devoting one short 
scene to the merciless conscription of the triumvirs, and 
the drama closes with the battle of Philippi and the death 
of Brutus, 42 b.c. 

"The authority relied upon by Shakespeare for his his- 
torical facts was Plutarch's Lives, translated from the 



22 INTRODUCTION 

French of Amyot by Sir Thomas North, and published in 
1579. The work was highly popular, and the poet fol- 
lowed it closely, but in one point he departed from it and 
from the truth of history : he made the Capitol the scene 
of Caesar's assassination, whereas it took place in the 
senate-house, or, as North has it, in ' one of the porches 
about the theatre where was set up the image of Pompey.' 
In the delineation of character, also, the poet, though 
working after the models afforded by Plutarch, introduces 
some modifications. . . . 

" Shakespeare's drama was first printed in the folio of 
1623. It appears in a more accurate form than most of 
the plays, yet about a score of misprints and minor errors 
have been removed by the care of successive editors. The 
usual date of the composition of Julius Ccesar is referred 
to the year 1607, but Mr. Collier has shown good reasons 
for believing that it was acted before 1603. The subject 
had previously been dramatized. Gosson mentions a 
play, entitled The Histoid of Ccesar and Pompey, in 1579, 
and in 1582 a Latin play by Dr. Richard Eedes, on the 
subject of Caesar's murder, was acted in the university of 
Oxford. Lord Stirling, in 1604, published a tragedy en- 
titled Julius Ccesar. To none of these, so far as can be 
ascertained, was Shakespeare indebted." — Meiklejohn. 

COMPOSITION OF THE PLAY 

" What has been most censured in Julius Ccesar is, 
that the piece suffers from a very undramatic form of 



INTRODUCTION 23 

composition, inasmuch as it obviously falls into two 
halves, one of which represents the death of Csesar, the 
other the history of Brutus and Cassius. And certainly 
the external composition is defective in so far as in the 
first half the action turns upon the fall of Caesar and in 
the second upon the fate of Brutus and Cassius, Yet 
both halves are nevertheless externally connected in so 
far as the subject of the action in the first part is not so 
much Csesar's death as, in reality, the conspiracy against 
his supreme power and the attempt to restore the Repub- 
lic ; in the second, we have the course and unhappy 
termination of this undertaking. 

" The unity of interest in a free dramatic poem, how- 
ever, does not necessarily require to be a purely personal 
one ; in this case the interest — just because it is dramatic 
— is first of all connected with the action, springs forth out 
of it, and rises and falls with it. And even though the 
free dramatic poem is the more perfect in form and 
composition the more it manages to concentrate the 
interest of the action in the one person of the hero, still 
the historical drama is not bound by exactly the same 
laws as the freely invented composition. In the histori- 
cal drama, the interest — if it is to be historical — must 
above all things be truly historical, then it will be truly 
poetic as well. History, however, in a certain sense 
does not trouble itself about persons ; its chief interest is 
in historical facts and their meaning. 

"Now in Julius Caesar yve have absolutely only one 
point of interest, — a true, but variously jointed, unity. 



24 INTRODUCTION 

One and the same thought is reflected in the fall of 
Caesar, in the deaths of Brutus and Cassius, and in the 
victory of Antony and Octavius. No man, even though 
he were as mighty as Csesar and as noble as Brutus, is 
sufficiently great to guide history according to his own 
will ; every one, according to his vocation, may con- 
tribute his stone to the building of the grand whole, but 
let no one presume to think that he can, with impunity, 
experiment with it. The great Csesar, however, merely 
experimented when he allowed the royal crown to be 
offered to him and then rejected it thrice against his own 
will. He could not curb his ambition, — this history 
might perhaps have pardoned, — but he did not understand 
her, and attempted that which she, at the time at least, 
did not yet wish. The consequence of this error which 
was entirely his own, the consequence of this arrogant 
presumption which the still active republican spirit, the 
old lioman love and pride of freedom, stirred up against 
him, proved his downfall. But Brutus and Cassius erred 
also, by imagining that Rome could be kept in its glory 
and preserved from its threatening ruin simply by the 
restoration of the republic. . . . 

" They too experimented with history ; Cassius trusted 
that his ambitious and selfish will, and Brutus, that his 
noble and self-sacrificing will, would be strong enough to 
direct the course of history. For both felt that the 
moral spirit of the Roman nation had sunk too deep to 
be able in future to govern itself as a Republic ; Cassius 
knew, Brutus suspected, that the Republic was coming 



* ■. INTRODUCTION 25 

to an end. But in their republican pride, and feeling 
their republican honor hurt, they thought themselves 
called upon to make an attempt to save it, they trusted 
to their power to be able, as it were, to take it upon 
their shoulders and so keep its head above water. This 
was the arrogance which was added to the error, and 
which spurred them on not only to unreasonable under- 
takings but to a criminal act; and, therefore, they doubly 
deserved the punishment which befell them. Antony, 
on the other hand, with Octavius and Lepidus, — the 
talented voluptuary, the clever actor, and the good- 
natured simpleton, — although not half so powerful and 
noble as their opponents, come off victorious, because, in 
fact, they but followed the course of history and knew 
"how to make use of it. Thus in all the principal parts 
we have the same leading thought, the same unity in 
the (historical) interest, except that it is reflected in 
various ways. ... 

"Thus history appears represented from one of its main 
aspects, in its inner, autocratic, active, and formative 
power, by which, although externally formed by indi- 
vidual men, it nevertheless controls and marches over the 
heads of the greatest of them." — Ulrici, Shakespeare'' s 
Dramatic Art. 

CRITICAL OPINIONS 

" Everything is wrought out in the play with great care 
and completeness; it is well planned and well proportioned; . 
there is no tempestuousness of passion, and no artistic 



26 INTRODUCTION 

mystery. The style is full, but not overburdened with 
thought or imagery ; this is one of the most perfect of 
Shakespeare's plays ; greater tragedies are less perfect, 
perhaps for the very reason that they try to grasp greater, 
more terrible, or more piteous themes. 

"In King Henry V. Shakespeare had represented a 
great and heroic man of action. In the serious plays, 
which come next in chronological order, Julius Ccesar 
and Hamlet, the poet represents two men who were 
forced to act, — to act in public affairs, and affairs of 
life and death, — yet who were singularly disqualified 
for playing the part of men of action. Hamlet cannot 
act because his moral energy is sapped by a kind of 
scepticism and sterile despair about life, because his 
own ideas are more to him than deeds, because his 
will is diseased. Brutus does act, but he acts as an 
idealist and theorizer might, with no eye for the actual 
bearing of facts, and no sense of the true importance of 
persons. Intellectual doctrines and moral ideals rule 
the life of Brutus ; and his life is most noble, high, and 
stainless, but his public action is a series of practical 
mistakes. Yet even while he errs we admire him, for 
all his errors are those of a pure and lofty spirit. He 
fails to see how full of power Antony is, because Antony 
loves pleasure, and is not a Stoic, like himself ; he 
addresses calm arguments to the excited Roman mob ; 
he spares the life of Antony and allows him to address 
the people ; he advises ill in military matters. All the 
practical gifts, insight and tact, which Brutus lacks, are 



INTROD UCTION 2 7 

possessed by Cassius ; but of Brutus's moral purity, 
veneration of ideals, disinterestedness, and freedom from 
unworthy personal motive, Cassius possesses little. And 
the moral power of Brutus has in it something magis- 
terial, which enables it to oversway the practical judg- 
ment of Cassius. In his wife — Cato's daughter, Portia 
— Brutus has found one who is equal to and worthy of 
himself. Shakespeare has shown her as perfectly a 
woman, — sensitive, finely tempered, tender, — yet a 
woman who, by her devotion to moral ideals, might 
stand beside such a father and such a husband. And 
Brutus, with all his Stoicism, is gentle and tender ; he 
can strike down Caesar if Csesar be a tyrant, but he 
cannot roughly arouse a sleeping boy (Act. IV. Sc. iii. 
L. 270). Antony is a man of genius, with many splendid 
and some generous qualities, but self-indulgent, pleasure- 
loving, and a daring adventurer, rather than a great 
leader of the state. 

"The character of Csesar is conceived in a curious and 
almost irritating manner. Shakespeare (as passages in 
other plays show) was certainly not ignorant of the 
greatness of one of the world's greatest men. But here 
it is his weaknesses that are insisted on. He is failing 
in body and mind, influenced by superstition, yields to 
flattery, thinks of himself as almost superhuman, has 
lost some of his insight into character, and his sureness 
and swiftness of action. Yet the play is rightly named 
Julius Ccesar. His bodily presence is weak, but his 
spirit rules throughout the play, and rises after his death 



28 INTRODUCTION 

in all its might, towering over the little band of conspira- 
tors, who at length fall before the spirit of Csesar as it 
ranges for revenge." — Dowden, Shakespeare Primer. 

' ' We doubt whether we shall find Shakespeare greater, 
when he invented everything regardless of his sources, 
or here where he took all as he found it, — whether we 
shall most admire in the one case his free power of 
creation, or in the other his submission and self-denial. 
Tar from all pride of authorship and all pursuit after 
originality, he appears here before a classic biographer, 
never attempting to strive with nature, but rather rever- 
entially to preserve her uninjured in the genuine form 
which he found before him. . . . 

"It is at the same time wonderful, with what hidden 
and almost undiscernible power he has converted the 
text into a drama, and made one of the most effective 
plays possible. Nowhere else has Shakespeare executed 
his task with such simple skill, combining his depend- 
ence on history with the greatest freedom of a poetic 
plan, and making the truest history at once the freest 
drama. . . . 

"The play under consideration is a most striking 
variation on the theme of Hamlet and Macbeth, and 
gives us a new and remarkable proof of the depth and 
many-sidedness with which Shakespeare thought out 
and elaborated any problem he had once seized upon. 
A deed of greater weight than that demanded of Hamlet 
or planned by Macbeth is laid on this pattern of a man, 
— the murder of a hero, who had increased the great- 



INTRODUCTION 29 

ness of Rome as much as he had endangered her free- 
dom. It is a deed of a nature doubtful in itself, which 
is required of him, not one decidedly right or decidedly 
wrong, like that to which Hamlet was called and to 
which Macbeth was tempted. The uncertainty, the 
doubt, the discord, lay in the other instances in the men 
themselves, here it lies in the thing itself, and is only 
from thence transferred to an even, clear, and right- 
judging mind. ... 

"Brutus is persuaded by his friends to take part in a 
murder and conspiracy, as he himself calls it ; for the 
restoration of freedom, his task is to prevent an injustice 
as yet only apprehended on Caesar's part ; he desires the 
end, but only the means most necessary for attaining it ; 
he takes the first step, but not the second and third ; 
whereas he should either not have taken the first or he 
should also have taken the others. . . . 

' ' If Brutus erred more than Cassius in the means he 
employed in their undertaking, they both erred equally 
in the final aim of it. The restoration of the Republic 
was no longer possible, the people had become unfit for 
freedom. Shakespeare has not subjected this historical 
view to any discussion, unsuitable to a drama ; but he 
found it in Plutarch, and with thorough understanding 
adopted it with artistic representation for his work of 
art. 

"Fortune, chance, Providence, says Plutarch, were 
against the republicans ; it appeared as if the realm 
could no longer be governed by a plurality, but neces- 



so INTRODUCTION 

sarily demanded one monarch. The gods had, therefore, 
given the people Caesar as a mild physician, who was 
best fitted to restore them ; this showed itself when, 
immediately after his death, they lamented him and 
would never forgive his murderers, — as Shakespeare 
expresses it, when it pleased them to need the death of 
Erutus. 

" The poet has described this people according to Plu- 
tarch's view of them. First they shouted after Pompey, 
and when Caesar came in triumph over Pompey's corpse, 
they shouted after Caesar. Brutus kills Caesar, and they 
shout after him also. ... As soon as Antony advances, 
they begin to consider ' whether a worse may not come 
In Caesar's place ; ' that another must come in his place, 
seems to be no longer a question. With such a people, 
Brutus' s noble thought of restoration was but a lovely 
dream." — Gervinus, Shakespeare Commentaries. 

" Shakespeare has in this play and elsewhere shown 
the same penetration into political character and the 
springs of public events as into those of everyday life. 
For instance, the whole design of the conspirators to 
liberate their country fails from the generous temper and 
overweening confidence of Brutus in the goodness of 
their cause and the assistance of others. Thus it has 
always been. Those who mean well themselves think 
well of others, and fall a prey to their security. 

' ' That humanity and honesty, which dispose men to 
resist injustice and tyranny, render them unfit to cope 
with the cunning and power of those who are opposed 



IN TROD UCTION 31 

to them. The friends of liberty trust to the professions 
of others because they are themselves sincere, and en- 
deavor to reconcile the public good with the least possi- 
ble hurt to its enemies, who have no regard to anything 
but their own unprincipled ends, and stick at nothing to 
accomplish them, Cassius was better cut out for a con- 
spirator. His heart prompted his head. His watchful 
jealousy made him fear the worst that might happen, 
and his irritability of temper added to his inveteracy of 
purpose, and sharpened his patriotism. The mixed na- 
ture of his motives made him fitter to contend with bad 
men. The vices are never so well employed as in com- 
bating one another. Tyranny and servility are to be dealt 
with after their own fashion ; otherwise they will triumph 
over those who spare them, and finally pronounce their 
funeral panegyric, as Antony did that of Brutus. ... 

"The truth of history in Julius Ccesar is very ably 
worked up with dramatic effect. The councils of gen- 
erals, the doubtful turns of battles, are represented to 
the life. The death of Brutus is worthy of him ; it has 
the dignity of the Roman senator with the firmness of the 
Stoic philosopher. But what is perhaps better than 
either, is the little incident of his boy, Lucius, falling 
asleep over his instrument, as he is playing to his master 
in his tent, the night before the battle. Nature had 
played him the same forgetful trick once before, on the 
night of the conspiracy. The humanity of Brutus is 
the same on both occasions." — Hazlitt, Characters of 
Shakespeare's Plays. 



32 INTRODUCTION 

" Shakespeare's drama rests entirely upon the char- 
acter of Brutus ; and he has even been blamed for not 
having entitled his work Marcus Brutus instead of 
Julius Ccesar. But if Brutus is the hero of the play, the 
power and death of Csesar form its subject. Caesar alone 
occupies the foreground ; the horror felt for his power, 
and the necessity of deliverance from it, fill the whole of 
the first part of the drama ; the other half is consecrated 
to the recollection and consequences of his death. It is, 
as Antony says : — 

" * Caesar's spirit, ranging for revenge ; * 

and, that his sway may not be lost sight of, it is still his 
spirit which, on the plains of Sardis and Philippi, appears 
to Brutus as his evil genius. 

, "The picture of this great catastrophe, however, fin- 
ishes with the death of Brutus. Shakespeare desired to 
interest us in the event of his drama only as it related to 
Brutus, just as he presented Brutus to us only in relation 
to the event. The fact which furnishes the subject of 
the tragedy, and the character which accomplishes it, 
the death of Csesar and the character of Brutus, — this 
is the union which constitutes Shakespeare's dramatic 
work, just as the union of soul and body constitutes 
life, both elements being equally necessary to the exist- 
ence of the individual. Before the death of Caesar was 
planned, the play does not begin ; after the death of 
Brutus, it ends." — Guizot, Shakespeare and His Times. 



INTROD UCTION 33 

C^SAR 

"Caesar need not condescend to the ordinary ways of 
obtaining acquaintance with facts. He asks no question 
of the soothsayer. He takes the royal road to knowl- 
edge, — intuition. This self-indulgence of his own foi- 
bles is, as it were, symbolized by his physical infirmity, 
which he admits in lordly fashion — ' Come on my right 
hand, for this ear is deaf.' Caesar is entitled to own 
such a foible as deafness ; it may pass well with Csesar. 
If men would have him hear them, let them come to his 
right ear. Meanwhile, things may be whispered which 
it were well for him if he strained an ear — right or left 
— to catch. In Shakespeare's rendering of the character 
of Caesar, which has considerably bewildered his critics, 
one thought of the poet would seem to be this, — that 
unless a man continually keeps himself in relation with 
facts, and with his present person and character, he may 
become to himself legendary and mythical. The real 
man Csesar disappears for himself under the greatness of 
the Caesar myth. He forgets himself as he actually is, 
and knows only the vast legendary power named Csesar. 
He is a numen to himself, speaking of Csesar in the third 
person, as if of some power above and behind his con- 
sciousness. And at this very moment — so ironical is 
the time-spirit — Cassius is cruelly insisting to Brutus 
upon all those infirmities which prove this god no more 
than a pitiful mortal. . . . 

""Julius Caesar is indeed protagonist of the tragedy; 



V 

34 INTRODUCTION 

but it is not the Csesar whose bodily presence is weak, 
whose mind is declining in strength and sure-footed 
energy, the Csesar who stands exposed to all the acci- 
dents of fortune. This bodily presence of Csesar is but 
of secondary importance, and may be supplied when it 
actually passes away, by Octavius as its substitute. It 
is the spirit of Csesar -which is the dominant power of the 
tragedy ; against this — the spirit of Csesar — Brutus 
fought; but Brutus, who forever errs in practical poli- 
tics, succeeded only in striking down Csesar's body ; he 
who had been weak now rises as pure spirit, strong and 
terrible, and avenges himself upon the conspirators. . . . 
"The ghost of Csesar (designated by Plutarch only the 
'■ evill spirit ' of Brutus) , which appears on the night be- 
fore the battle of Philippi, serves as a kind of visible 
symbol of the vast posthumous power of the dictator. 
. . . Finally, the little effort of the aristocrat republi- 
cans sinks to the ground foiled and crushed by the force 
which they had hoped to abolish with one violent blow. 
. . . Brutus dies ; and Octavius lives to reap the fruit 
whose seed had been sown by his great predecessor. 
With strict propriety, therefore, the play bears the name 
of Julius Csesar." — Dowden, Shakespeare, His Mind 

and Art. 

Brutus and Cassius 

" Shakespeare has scarcely created anything more 
splendid than the relation in which he has placed Cas- 
sius to Brutus. Closely as he has followed Plutarch, the 
poet has by slight alterations skilfully placed this ch.ir- 



INTRODUCTION 35 

acter, even more than the historian has done, in the 
sharpest contrast to Brutus, — the clever, politic revo- 
lutionist opposed to the man of noble soul and moral 
nature. Roman state-policy and a mode of reasoning 
peculiar to antiquity are displayed in every feature of 
this contrast of Cassius to Brutus, as well as in the de- 
lineation of the character itself ; the nature and spirit 
of antiquity operated with exquisite freshness and readi- 
ness upon the unburdened brain of the poet, unfettered 
by the schools. . . . 

"According to Plutarch, public opinion distinguished 
between Brutus and Cassius thus : that it was said 
that Brutus hated tyranny, Cassius tyrants ; yet, adds 
the historian, the latter was inspired with a universal 
hatred of tyranny also. Thus has Shakespeare repre- 
sented him. His Cassius is imbued with a thorough love 
of freedom and equality; he groans under the prospect 
of a monarchical time more than the others ; he does 
not bear this burden with thoughtful patience like Bru- 
tus, but his ingenious mind strives with natural opposi- 
tion to throw it off ; he seeks for men of the old time ; 
the new, who are like timid sheep before the wolf, are 
an abhorrence to him. His principles of freedom are 
not crossed by moral maxims, which might lead him 
astray in his political attempts ; altogether a pure politi- 
cal character[he^ esteems nothing so highly as his country 
and its freedom and honor. . . . 

" With his hatred of tyrants there is mixed the envy 
of Csesar belonging to the more meanly endowed man ; he 



36 INTRODUCTION 

remembers that he had once saved the life of the emperor 
in a swimming match, that he had seen him sick and 
subject to human infirmities, and now he is to bow 
before this man as before a god, he is to see him 
'bestride the narrow world, like a Colossus,' while 
' petty men walk under his huge legs. ' He seems in- 
clined to measure rank by bodily strength rather than by 
power of mind ; it amazes him that Caesar should ' get 
the start of the majestic world,' which he would fain 
award to his own art of swimming ; with the disparaging 
feeling of mediocrity toward real greatness, he weighs 
only the similar meat on which both feed, and compares 
their names, not their merits and endowments ; and 
in this disparaging feeling lies the sharpest goad, which 
generally urges on the most dangerous conspirators. , . . 

"The difference, therefore, between his nature and the 
character of Brutus comes out on every occasion : Brutus 
appears throughout just as humanely noble as Cassius is 
politically superior ; each lacks what is best in the other, 
and the possession of which would make each perfect." 
— Gervinus, Shakespeare Commentaries. 

"I know no part of Shakespeare that more impresses 
on me the belief of his genius being superhuman than 
the scene between Brutus and Cassius [Act IV. Scene iii.]. 
In the Gnostic heresy it might have been credited with 
less absurdity than most of their dogmas, that the 
Supreme had employed him to create, previously to his 
function of representing, characters." — Coleridge, 
Lectures on Shakespeare and Milton. 



INTRODUCTION 37 



Portia 

"Portia, as Shakespeare has truly felt and represented 
the character, is but a softened reflection of that of her 
husband Brutus. In him we see an excess of natural 
sensibility, an almost womanish tenderness of heart, 
repressed by the tenets of his austere philosophy: a 
Stoic by profession, and in reality the reverse — acting 
deeds against his nature by the strong force of principle 
and will. In Portia there is the same profound and 
passionate feeling, and all her sex's softness and timidity 
held in check by that self-discipline, that stately dignity, 
which she thought became a woman ' so fathered and 
so husbanded.' The fact of her inflicting on herself a 
voluntary wound to try her own fortitude is perhaps the 
strongest proof of this disposition. Plutarch relates that 
on the day on which Caesar was assassinated Portia 
appeared overcome with terror, and even swooned away, 
but did not in her emotion utter a word which could 
affect the conspirators. . . . 

" There is another beautiful incident related by Plu- 
tarch which could not well be dramatized. When Brutus 
and Portia parted for the last time in the island of 
Nisida, she restrained all expression of grief that she 
might not shake his fortitude ; but afterwards, in passing 
through a chamber in which there hung a picture of 
Hector and Andromache, she stopped, gazed upon it for 
a time with a settled sorrow, and at length burst into a 
passion of tears. 



38 INTRODUCTION 

"If Portia had been a Christian, and lived in later 
times, she might have been another Lady Enssell ; but 
she made a poor Stoic. No factitious or external control 
was sufficient to restrain such an exuberance of sen- 
sibility and fancy ; and those who praise the philosophy 
of Portia and the heroism of her death, certainly mis- 
took the character altogether. It is evident, from the 
manner of her death, that it was not deliberate self- 
destruction, ' after the high Roman fashion,' but took 
place in a paroxysm of madness, caused by overwrought 
and suppressed feeling, grief, terror, and suspense." — 
Mrs. Jameson, Characteristics of Women. 



Antony 

"Antony is a man of genius without moral fibre; a 
nature of a rich, sensitive, pleasure-loving kind ; the prey 
of good impulses and of bad; looking on life as a game, 
in which he has a distinguished part to play, and playing 
that part with magnificent grace and skill. He is capa- 
ble of personal devotion (though not of devotion to an 
idea), and has indeed a gift for subordination, — sub- 
ordination to a Julius Caesar, to a Cleopatra. And as he 
has enthusiasm about great personalities, so he has a 
contempt for inefficiency and ineptitude. Lepidus is to 
him ' a slight, unmeritable man, meet to be sent on 
errands.' one that is to be talked of not as a person, but 



INTRODUCTION 39 

as a property. Antony possesses no constancy of self- 
esteem ; he can drop quickly out of favor with himself ; 
and being without reverence for his own type of char- 
acter, and being endowed with a fine versatility of per- 
ception and feeling, he can admire qualities the most 
remote from his own. It is Antony who utters the 
eloge over the body of Brutus at Philippi. Antony .is 
not without an aesthetic sense and imagination, though 
of a somewhat unspiritual kind ; he does not judge men 
by a severe moral code, but he feels in an aesthetic way 
the grace, the splendor, the piteous interest of the actors 
in the exciting drama of life, or their impertinence, in- 
eptitude, and comicality ; and he feels that the play is 
poorer by the loss of so noble a figure as that of a 
Brutus. But Brutus, over whom his ideals dominate, 
and who is blind to facts which are not in harmony with 
his theory of the universe, is quite unable to perceive the 
power for good or for evil that is lodged in Antony, and 
there is in the great figure of Antony nothing which can 
engage or interest his imagination ; for Brutus's view of 
life is not imaginative, or pictorial, or dramatic, but 
wholly ethical. The fact that Antony abandons himself 
to pleasure, is 'gamesome,' reduces him in the eyes of 
Brutus to a very ordinary person, — one who is silly 
or stupid enough not to recognize the first principle of 
-human conduct, the need of self-mastery ; one against 
whom the laws of the world must fight, and who is 
therefore of no importance. And Brutus was right with 
respect to the ultimate issues for Antony. Sooner or 



40 INTRODUCTION 

later Antony must fall to ruin. But before the moral 
defect in Antony's nature destroyed his fortune, much 
was to happen. Before Actium might come Philippi." 
— DowDEN, Shakespeare : His Mind and Art. 

THE HISTORICAL CiESAR 

"In person Csesar was tall and slight. His features 
were more refined than was usual in Roman faces ; the 
forehead was wide and high, the nose large and thin, the 
lips full, the eyes dark gray like an eagle's, the neck ex- 
tremely thick and sinewy. His complexion was pale. 
His beard and mustache were kept carefully shaved. His 
hair was short and naturally scanty, falling off toward 
the end of his life and leaving him partially bald. His 
voice, especially when he spoke in public, was high and 
shrill. His health was uniformly strong until his last 
year, when he became subject to epileptic fits. He was 
a great bather, and scrupulously clean in all his habits, 
abstemious in his food, and careless in what it consisted, 
rarely or never touching wine, and noting sobriety as the 
highest of qualities when describing any new people. He 
was an athlete in early life, admirable in all manly exer- 
cises, and especially in riding. In Gaul, as has been 
said already, he rode a remarkable horse, which he had 
bred him^lf, and which would let no one but Caesar 
mount him. From his boyhood it was observed of him 
that he was the truest of friends, that he avoided quarrels, 
and was most easily appeased when offended. In manner 



INTROD UC TION 41 

he was quiet and gentlemanlike, with the natural courtesy 
of high breeding. On an occasion when he was dining 
somewhere the other guests found the oil too rancid for 
them. Csesar took it without remark, to spare his enter- 
tainer's feelings. When on a journey through a forest 
with his friend Oppius, he came one night to a hut where 
there was a single bed. Oppius being unwell, Csesar gave 
it up to him, and slept on the ground. 

"In his public character he may be regarded under 
three aspects, — as a politician, a soldier, and a man of 
letters. 

" Like Cicero, Csesar entered public life at the bar. He 
belonged by birth to the popular party, but he showed 
no disposition, like the Gracchi, to plunge into political 
agitation. His aims were practical. He made war only 
upon injustice and oppression ; and when he commenced 
as a pleader he was noted for the energy with which he 
protected a client whom he believed to have been 
wronged. 

" At a later period, before he was prsetor, he was en- 
gaged in defending Masintha, a young Numidian prince, 
who had suffered some injury from Hiempsal, the father 
of Juba. Juba himself came to Rome on the occasion, 
bringing with him the means of influencing the judges 
which Jugurtha had found so effective. Csesar in his 
indignation seized Juba by the beard in the court ; and 
when Masintha was sentenced to some unjust penalty 
Csesar carried him off, concealed him in his house, and 
took him to Spain in his carriage. 



42 INTRODUCTION 

" When he rose into the Senate, his powers as a speaker 
hecame strikingly remarkable. Cicero, who often heard 
him, and was not a favorable judge, said that there was 
a pregnancy in his sentences and a dignity in his 
manner which no orator in Rome could approach. But 
he never spoke to court popularity ; his aim from first to 
last was better government, the prevention of bribery 
and extortion, and the distribution among deserving citi- 
zens of some portion of the public land which the rich 
Were stealing. The Julian laws, which excited the indig- 
nation of the aristocracy, had no other objects than these; 
and had they been observed they would have saved the 
Constitution. 

"The obstinacy of faction and the civil war which 
grew out of it obliged him to extend his horizon, to con- 
template more radical reforms — a large extension of the 
privileges of citizenship, with the introduction of the pro- 
vincial nobility into the Senate, and the transfer of the 
administration from the Senate and annually elected 
magistrates to the permanent chief of the army. But his 
objects throughout were purely practical. The purpose 
of government he conceived to be the execution of jus- 
tice ; and a constitutional liberty under which justice was 
made impossible did not appear to him to be liberty 
at all. 

"The practicality which showed itself in his general 
aims appeared also in his mode of working. Csesar, it 
was observed, when anything was to be done, selected 
the man who was best able to do it, not caring particu- 



INTRODUCTION 43 

larly who or what he might be in other respects. To this 
faculty of discerning and choosing fit persons to execute 
his orders may be ascribed the extraordinary success of 
his own provincial administration, the enthusiasm which 
was felt for him in the north of Italy, and the perfect 
quiet of Gaul after the completion of the conquest. 
Caesar did not crush the Gauls under the weight of Italy. 
He took the best of them into the Roman service, pro- 
moted them, led them to associate the interests of the 
Empire with their personal advancement and the pros- 
perity of their own people. No act of Csesar's showed 
more sagacity than the introduction of Gallic nobles into 
the Senate ; none was more bitter to the Scipios and 
Metelli, who were compelled to share their august privi- 
leges with these despised barbarians. 

" It was by accident that Csesar took up the profession 
of a soldier ; yet perhaps no commander who ever lived 
showed greater military genius. 

' ' The conquest of Gaul was effected by a force numeri- 
cally insignificant, which was worked with the precision 
of a machine. The variety of uses to which it was capa- 
ble of being turned implied, in the first place, extraor- 
dinary forethought in the selection of materials. Men 
whose nominal duty was merely to fight were engineers, 
architects, mechanics of the highest order. In a few 
hours they could extemporize an impregnable fortress on 
an open hillside. They bridged the Rhine in a week. 
They built a fleet in a month. The legions at Alesia held 
twice their number pinned within their works, while they 



44 INTRODUCTION 

kept at bay the whole force of insurgent Gaul, entirely 
by scientific superiority. 

' ' The machine, which was thus perfect, was composed 
of human beings who required supplies of tools and arms 
and clothes and food and shelter, and for all these it 
depended on the forethought of its commander. Maps 
there were none. Countries entirely unknown had to be 
surveyed ; routes had to be laid out ; the depths and 
courses of rivers, the character of mountain passes, had 
all to be ascertained. Allies had to be found among tribes 
as yet unheard of. Countless contingent difficulties had 
to be provided for, many of which must necessarily arise, 
though the exact nature of them could not be anticipated. 
When room for accidents is left open, accidents do not 
fail to be heard of. Yet Csesar was never defeated when 
personally present, save once at Gergovia, and once at 
Durazzo ; and the failure at Gergovia was caused by the 
revolt of the JSdui ; and the manner in which the failure 
at Durazzo was retrieved showed Caesar's greatness more 
than the most brilliant of his victories. 

" He was rash, but with a calculated rashness, which 
the event never failed to justify. His greatest successes 
were due to the rapidity of his movements, which brought 
him on the enemy before they heard of his approach. He 
traveled sometimes a hundred miles a day, reading or 
writing in his carriage, through countries without roads, 
and crosshig rivers without bridges. No obstacles stopped 
him when he had a definite end in view. In battle he 
sometimes rode ; but he was more often on foot, bare- 



INTRODUCTION 45 

eaded, and in a conspicuous dress, that he might be 
sen and recognized. Again and again by his own 
fforts he recovered a day that was half lost. He once 
eized a panic-stricken standard-bearer, turned him round, 
,nd told him he had mistaken the direction of the 
nemy. 

" He never misled his army as to an enemy's strength, 
)r if he misstated their numbers, it was only to exagger- 
ite. In Africa, before Thapsus, when his officers were 
lervous at the reported approach of Juba, he called them 
iogether and said briefly : ' You will understand that 
A^ithin a day King Juba will be here with the legions, 
thirty thousand horses, a hundred thousand skirmishers, 
md three hundred elephants. You are not to think or 
isk questions. I tell you the truth, and you must pre- 
pare for it. If any of you are alarmed, I shall send you 
home.' 

"Yet he was singularly careful of his soldiers. He 
allowed his legions rest, though he allowed none to him- 
self. He rarely fought a battle at a disadvantage. He 
never exposed his men to unnecessary danger, and the 
loss by wear and tear in the campaigns in Gaul was 
exceptionally and even astonishingly slight. When a 
gallant action was performed, he knew by whom it had 
been done, and every soldier, however humble, might 
feel assured that if he deserved praise he would have it. 
The army was Caesar's family. When Sabinus was cut 
off, he allowed his beard to grow, and he did not shave 
it till the disaster was avenged. If Quintus Cicero had 



46 INTRODUCTION 

been his own child, he could not have run greater personal 
risk to save him when shut up at Charleroy. 

" In discipline he was lenient to ordinary faults, and 
not careful to make curious inquiries into such things. 
He liked his men to enjoy themselves. Military mistakes 
in his officers too he always endeavored to excuse, never 
blaming them for misfortunes, unless there had been a' 
defect of courage as well as judgment. Mutiny and de- 
sertion only he never overlooked. And thus no general 
was ever more loved by, or had greater power over, the 
army which served under him. He brought the insur- 
gent tenth legion into submission by a single word. 
When the civil war began and Labienus left him, he told all 
his officers who had served under Pompey that they were ^ 
free to follow if they wished. Not another man forsook 
him. 

"His leniency to the Pompeian faction has already been 
spoken of sufficiently. It may have been politic, but it 
arose also from the disposition of the man. Cruelty origi- 
nates in fear, and Caesar was too indifferent to death to 
fear anything. So far as his public action was concerned, ^ 
he betrayed no passion save hatred of injustice ; and he ^ 
moved through life calm and irresistible, like a force of 
nature. 

" Cicero has said of Caesar's oratory that he surpassed 
those who had practised no other art. His praise of him 
as a man of letters is yet more delicately and gracefully 
emphatic. Most of his writings are lost ; but there re- 
main seven books of commentaries on the wars in Gaul 



INTRODUCTION 47 

(the eighth was added by another hand), and three "books 
upon the civil war, containing an account of its causes 
and history. Of these it was that Cicero said, in an 
admirable image, that fools might think to improve on 
them, but that no wise man would try it ; they were nudi 
omni ornatu orationis^ tanquam veste detracta — bare 
of ornament, the dress of style dispensed with, like an 
undraped human figure, perfect in all its lines as nature 
made it. 

" In his composition, as in his actions, Csesar is entirely 
simple. He indulges in no images, no labored descrip- 
tions, no conventional reflections. His art is uncon- 
scious, as the highest art always is. The actual fact of 
things stands out as it really was, not as mechanically 
photographed, but interpreted by the calmest intelligence 
and described with unexaggerated feeling. 

"No military narrative has approached the excellence 
of the history of the war in Gaul. Nothing is written 
down which could be dispensed with ; nothing important 
is left untold ; while the incidents themselves are set off 
by delicate and just observations on human character. 
The story is rendered attractive by complimentary anec- 
dotes of persons ; while details of the character and cus- 
toms of an unknown and remarkable people show the 
attention which Csesar was always at leisure to bestow 
on anything which was worthy of interest, even when 
he was surrounded with danger and difficulty. 

" The books on the civil war have the same simplicity 
and clearness, but a vein runs through them of strong if 



48 INTRODUCTION 

subdued emotion. They contain the history of a great 
revolution related by the principal actor in it ; but no 
effort can be traced to set his own side in a favorable 
light, or to abuse or depreciate his adversaries. The 
coarse invectives V7hich Cicero poured so freely upon 
those who differed from him are conspicuously absent. 
Csesar does not exult over his triumphs or parade the 
honesty of his motives. The facts are left to tell their 
own story ; and the gallantry and endurance of his own 
troops are not related with more feeling than the contrast 
between the confident hopes of the patrician leaders at 
Pharsalia and the luxury of their camp with the over- 
whelming disaster which fell upon them. About himself 
and his own exploits there is not one word of self-com- 
placency or self-admiration. In his writings, as in his 
life, Csesar is always the same, — direct, straightforward, 
unmoved save by occasional tenderness, describing with 
unconscious simplicity how the work which had been 
forced upon him was accomplished. 

' ' He wrote with extreme rapidity in the intervals of 
other labor ; yet there is not a word misplaced, not a 
sign of haste anywhere, save that the conclusion of the 
Gallic war was left to be supplied by a weaker hand. 
The Commentaries, as an historical narrative, are as far 
superior to any other Latin composition of the kind as 
the person of Csesar himself stands out among the rest 
of his contemporaries. " — Froude, Ccesar : a Sketch. 



JULIUS C^SAR 



Conspirators against Julius Caesar. 



PEESONS REPRESENTED 
Julius Cjesar. 

Marcus Antonius, [ T^!^^^'^^^' «/^«^ «^e ^e««^ of Julius 

M. ^MiLius Lbpidus, J Caesar. 

Cicero, 1 

PuBLius, [senators. 

PopiLius Lena, J 

Marcus Brutus, 

Cassius, 

€asca, 

CiNNA, 

Trebonius, 

x-igarius, 

Decius Brutus, 

Metellus Cimber, 

Flavius and Marullus, Tribunes. 

Artemidorus of Cnidos, a teacher of Rhetoric. 

OiNNA, a Poet ; another Poet ; a Soothsayer. 

LuciLius, Titinius, Messala, Young Cato, and Volum- 

Nius, friends to Brutus and Cassius. 
Varro, Clitus, Claudius, Strato, Lucius, and Dar- 

DANius, servants to Brutus. 
Pindarus, servant to Cassius. 

Calpurnia, wife to Caesar. 
Portia, wife to Brutus. 

Senators, Citizens, Guards, Attendants, etc. 

SCENE — Rome ; Sardis ; and near Philippi. 

50 



JULIUS C^SAR 

ACT I 

Scene I 

Rome, A Street 

Enter Flavius, Marullus, and a rabble of Citizens 

Flav. Hence ! home, you idle creatures, get you 
home. 
Is this a holiday ? What ! know you not. 
Being mechanical, you ought not walk, 
Upon a laboring-day without the sign 
Of your profession ? — Speak, what trade art thou ? 

1 Cit. Why, sir, a carpenter. 

Mar. Where is thy leather apron, and thy rule ? 
What dost thou with thy best apparel on ? — 
You, sir ; what trade are you ? 

2 Cit. Truly, sir, in respect of a fine workman, I It 
am but, as you would say, a cobbler. 

Mar. But what trade art thou? Answer me 
directly. 

61 



52 JULIUS C^SAR [Act I 

2 Cit. A trade, sir, that I hope I may use with a 
safe conscience ; which is, indeed, sir, a mender of 
bad soles. 

Mar. What trade, thou knave? thou naughty 
knave, what trade ? 

2 Cit. Nay, I beseech you, sir, be not out with me ; 
yet, if you be out, sir, I can mend you. 
20 Mar. What meanest thou by that? Mend me, 
thou saucy fellow ? 

2 Cit. Why, sir, cobble you. 

Flav. Thou art a cobbler, art thou ? 

2 Cit. Truly, sir, all that I live by is with the awl : 
I meddle with no tradesman's matters, nor women's 
matters, but with all. I am, indeed, sir, a surgeon to 
old shoes ; when they are in great danger, I recover 
them. As proper men as ever trod upon neat's- 
leather have gone upon my handiwork. 
30 Flav. But wherefore art not in thy shop to-day ? 
Why dost thou lead these men about the streets ? 

2 Cit. Truly, sir, to wear out their shoes, to get 
myself into more work. But, indeed, sir, we make 
holiday, to see Caesar, and to rejoice in his triumph. 

Mar. Wherefore rejoice? What conquest brings 
he home ? 
What tributaries follow him to Rome 



Scene 1] JULIUS CAESAR 53 

To grace in captive bonds his chariot wheels ? 

You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless 

things ! 
O you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome, 
Knew you not Pompey? Many a time and oft 40 

Have you climbed up to walls and battlements, 
To towers and windows, yea, to chimney-tops, 
Your infants in your arms, and there have sat 
The livelong day, with patient expectation, 
To see great Pompey pass the streets of Kome : 
And when you saw his chariot but appear, 
Have you not made an universal shout. 
That Tiber trembled underneath her banks 
To hear the replication of your sounds, 
Made in her concave shores ? 50 

And do you now put on your best attire? 
And do you now cull out a holiday ? 
And do you now strew flowers in his way. 
That comes in triumph over Pompey's blood ? 
Be gone ! 

Run to your houses, fall upon your knees, 
Pray to the gods to intermit the plague 
That needs must light on this ingratitude. 
Flav. Go, go, good countrymen, and, for this 

fault, 



54 JULIUS C^SAR [Act I 

60 Assemble all the poor men of your sort ; 

Draw them to Tiber banks, and weep your tears 

Into the channel, till the lowest stream 

Do kiss the most exalted shores of all. 

\_Exeunt Citizens. 

See, wher their basest metal be not moved ; 

They vanish tongue-tied in their guiltiness. 

Go you down that way towards the Capitol ; 

This way will I. Disrobe the images, 

If you do find them decked with ceremonies. 
Mar. May we do so ? 
70 You know it is the feast of Lupercal. 
Flav. It is no matter ; let no images 

Be hung with Caesar's trophies. I'll about, 

And drive away the vulgar from the streets : 

So do you too, where you perceive them thick. 

These growing feathers plucked from Caesar's wing 

Will make him fly an ordinary pitch ; 

Who else would soar above the view of men, 

And keep us all in servile fearf ulness. [Exeunt, 



ScEKE 2] JULIUS C^SAR 55 

Scene II 

The same. A Public Place 

* 

Enter, in procession, ivith music, C^sar ; Antony, /or 

the course ; Calpurnia, Portia, Decius, Cicero, 

Brutus, Cassius, and Casca ; a great crowd 

following : among them a Soothsayer 

Cces. Calpurnia, — 
Casca. Peace, ho ! Caesar speaks. 
Cces. Calpurnia, — [JSIusic ceases, 

Cal. Here, my lord. 

Cces. Stand you directly in Antonius' way, — 
When he doth run his course. — Antonius, — 
Ant. Caesar, my lord. 
nn>o "C'orget not, in your speed, Antonius, 

Calpurnia : for our elders say, 

1, touched in this holy chase, 10 

iheir sterile curse. 

I shall remember : 

ar says " Do this," it is performed. 

t on ; and leave no ceremony out. [^Music. 

Isesar ! 

a ! who calls ? 

Bid every noise be still : — peace yet again. 

[Alusic ceases. 



56 JULIUS C^SAE [Act I 

Coes. Who is it in the press that calls on me ? 
I hear a tongue, shriller than all the music, 
Cry " Csesar.^' Speak ; Csesar is turned to hear. 
Sooth. Beware the ides of March. 
20 CcES. . What man is that ? 

Bi'u. A soothsayer bids you beware the ides of 

March. 
Cces. Set him before me ; let me see his face. 
Cas. Fellow, come from the throng : look upon 

Caesar. 
Cms. What say'st thou to me now? Speak once 

again. 
Sooth. Beware the ides of March. 
CcBs. He is a dreamer ; let us leave him ; — pass. 

[_Sennet. Exeunt all hut Brutus and Cassius. 
Cas. Will you go see the order of the course ? 
Bru. Not I. 
Cas. I pray you, do. 
30 Bru. I am not gamesome : I do lack some payt 
Of that quick spirit that is in Antony. 
Let me not hinder, Cassius, your desires ; 
I'll leave you. 

Cas. Brutus, I do observe you now of late : 
I have not from your eyes that gentleness 
And show of love as I was wont to have : 



Scene 2] JULIUS C^SAR 57 

You bear too stubborn and too strange a hand 
Over your friend that loves you. 

Bru. Cassius, 

Be not deceived : if I have veiled my look, 
I turn the trouble of my countenance 40 

Merely upon myself. Vexed I am, 
Of late, with passions of some difference. 
Conceptions only proper to myself, 
Which give some soil, perhaps, to my behaviors : 
But let not therefore my good friends be grieved, — 
Among which number, Cassius, be you one, — 
IS'or construe any further my neglect. 
Than that poor Brutus, with himself at war. 
Forgets the shows of love to other men. 

Cas. Then, Brutus, I have much mistook your 
passion ; 50 

By means whereof this breast of mine hath buried 
Thoughts of great value, worthy cogitations. 
Tell me, good Brutus, can you see your face ? 

Bru. N^o, Cassius : for the eye sees not itself 
But by reflection, by some other things. 

Cas. 'Tis just ; 
And it is very much lamented, Brutus, 
That you have no such mirrors as will turn 
Your hidden worthiness into your eye, 



58 JULIUS C^SAR [Act I 

60 That jovi might see your shadow. I have heard, 
Where many of the best respect in Rome, 
Except immortal Caesar, speaking of Brutus, 
And groaning underneath this age's yoke, 
Have wished that noble Brutus had his eyes. 

Bru. Into what dangers would you lead me, 
Cassius, 
That you would have me seek into myself 
For that which is not in me ? 

Cas. Therefore, good Brutus, be prepared to hear : 
And, since you know you cannot see yourself 
70 So well as by reflection, I, your glass. 
Will modestly discover to yourself 
That of yourself which you yet know not of. 
And be not jealous on me, gentle Brutus : 
Were I a common laugher, or did nse 
To stale with ordinary oaths my love 
To every new protester : if you know 
That I do fawn on men, and hug them hard, 
And after scandal them ; or if you know 
That I profess myself in banqueting 
80 To all the rout, then hold me dangerous. 

[Flourish and shout, 
Bru. What means this shouting? I do fear the 
people 



Scene 2] JULIUS C^SAR 59 

Choose Caesar for their king. 

Cas. Aj, do you fear it ? 

Then must I think you would not have it so. 

Bru. I would not, Cassius ; yet I love him well : — 
But wherefore do you hold me here so long? 
What is it that you would impart to me ? 
If it be aught toward the general good, 
Set honor in one eye, and death i' the other. 
And I will look on both indifferently : 
For let the gods so speed me as I love 90 

The name of honor more than I fear death. 

Cas. I know that virtue to be in you, Brutus, 
As well ^s I do know your outward favor. 
Well, honor is the subject of my story. — 
I cannot tell what you and other men 
Think of this life ; but, for my single self, 
I had as lief not be^ as live to be 
In awe of such a thing as I myself. 
I was born free as Ceesar ; so were you : 
We both have fed as well ; and we can both lOO 

Endure the winter's cold as well as he : 
For once, upon a raw and gusty day, 
The troubled Tiber chafing with her shores, 
Caesar said to me, " Darest thou, Cassius, now 
Leap in with me into this angry flood, 



60 JULIUS CyESAR [Act I 

And swim to yonder point ? " — Upon the word, 
Accoutred as I was, I plunged in, 
And bade him follow : so, indeed, he did. 
The torrent roared ; and we did buffet it 

110 With lusty sinews ; throwing it aside 

And stemming it with hearts of controversy. 

But ere we could arrive the point proposed 

Caesar cried, " Help me, Cassins, or I sink." 

I, as ^^neas, our great ancestor, 

Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder 

The old Anchises bear, so, from the waves of Tiber 

Did I the tired Csesar : and this man 

Is now become a god ; and Cassius is ^ 

A wretched creature, and must bend his body, 

120 If Caesar carelessly but nod on him. 
He had a fever when he was in Spain, 
And, when the fit was on him, I did mark 
How he did shake : 'tis true, this god did shake : 
His coward lips did from their color fly ; 
And that same eye whose bend doth awe the world 
Did lose his lustre : I did hear him groan : 
Ay, and that tongue of his, that bade the Romans 
Mark him, and write his speeches in their books, 
Alas ! it cried, " Give me some drink, Titinius," 

130 As a sick girl. Ye gods, it doth amaze me, 



Scene 2] JULIUS C^SAR 61 

A man of such a feeble temper should 
So get the start of the majestic world, 
And bear the palm alone. IShout. Flourish. 

Bru. Another general shout ! 
I do believe that these applauses are 
For some new honors that are heaped on Ciesar. 

Cas. Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world, 
Like a Colossus ; and we petty men 
Walk under his huge legs, and peep about 
To find ourselves dishonorable graves. 140 

Men at some time are masters of their fates : 
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, 
But in ourselves, that we are underlings. 
Brutus and Ccesar : what should be in that Ccesar f 
Why should that name be sounded more than yours ? 
Write them together, yours is as fair a name ; 
Sound them, it doth become the mouth as well ; 
Weigh them, it is as heavy; conjure with them, 
Brutus will start a spirit as soon as Ccesar. [^Shout. 

Now in the names of all the gods at once, 150 

Upon what meat doth this our Csesar feed. 
That he is grown so great? Age, thou art shamed 1 
Rome, thou hast lost the breed of noble bloods ! 
When went there by an age, since the great flood, 
But it was famed with more than with one man ? 



62 JULIUS C^SAR [Act 1 

When could they say, till now, that talked of Rome, 
That her wide walls encompassed but one man ? 
Now is it Rome indeed, and room enough, 
When there is in it but one only man. 

160 O ! you and I have heard our fathers say 

There was a Brutus once that would have brooked 
The eternal devil to keep his state in Rome, 
As easily as a king. 

Bm. That you do love me I am nothing jealous ; 
What you would work me to I have some aim ; 
How I have thought of this, and of these times, 
I shall recount hereafter ; for this present, 
I would not, so with love I might entreat you. 
Be any further moved. What you have said 

170 [ will consider ; what you have to say 
I will with patience hear : and find a time 
Both meet to hear and answer such high things. 
Till then, my noble friend, chew upon this : 
Brutus had rather be a villager 
Than to repute himself a son of Rome 
Under these hard conditions as this time 
Is like to lay upon us. 

Cas. I am glad that my weak words 
Have struck but thus much show of fire from 
Brutus. 



'Scene 2] JULIUS C^SAR 63 

Reenter CiESAR and Ms Train 

Bru. The games are done, and Caesar is returning. 180 

Cas. As they pass by, pluck Casca by the sleeve ; 
And he will, after his sour fashion, tell you 
What hath proceeded worthy note to-day. 

Bru. I will do so. — But look you, Cassins, 
The angry spot doth glow on Caesar's brow, 
And all the rest look like a chidden train : 
Calpurnia's cheek is pale ; and Cicero 
Looks with such ferret and such fiery eyes, 
As we have seen him in the Capitol, 
Being crossed in conference by some senators. 190 

Cas. Casca will tell us what the matter is. 

Cces. Antonius ! 

Ant. Caesar? 

Cces. Let me have men about me that are fat ; 
Sleek-headed men, and such as sleep o' nights : 
Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look ; 
He thinks too much : such men are dangerous. 

Ant. Fear him not, Caesar, he's not dangerous ; 
He is a noble Roman, and well-given. 

Cces. Would he were fatter : — but I fear him not : 200 
Yet if my name were liable to fear, 
I do not know the man I should avoid 



64 JULIUS C^SAR [Act I 

So soon as that spare Cassius. He reads much ; 
He is a great observer, and he looks 
Quite through the deeds of men : he loves no plays, 
As thou dost, Antony : he hears no music : 
Seldom he smiles ; and smiles in such a sort 
As if he mocked himself, and scorned his spirit 
That could be moved to smile at anything. 
210 Such men as he be never at heart's ease 

Whiles they behold a greater than themselves ; 
And therefore are they very dangerous. 
I rather tell thee what is to be feared 
Than what I fear, for always I am Caesar. 
Come on my right hand, for this ear is deaf, 
And tell me truly what thou think'st of him. 

l^Exeimt C-iESAR and his train. Casca stays. 

Casca. You pulled me by the cloak : would you 
speak with me? 

Bru. Ay, Casca ; tell us what hath chanced to-day, 
220 That Caesar looks so sad ? 

Casca. Why, you were with him, were you not ? 

Bru. I should not then ask Casca what had 
chanced. 

Casca. Why, there was a crown offered him : and 
being offered him, he put it by with the back of his 
hand, thus ; and then the people fell a-shouting. 



Scene 2] JULIUS C^SAR 65 

Bru. What was the second noise for? 

Casca. Why, for that too. 

Cas, They shouted thrice : what was the last cry 
for? 

Casca. Why, for that too. 

Bru. Was the crown offered him thrice ? 230 

Casca. Ay, marry, was't, and he put it by thrice, 
every time gentler than other ; and at every putting- 
by, mine honest neighbors shouted. 

Cas. Who offered him the crown ? 

Casca. Why, Antony. 

Bru. Tell us the manner of it, gentle Casca. 

Casca. I can as well be hanged as tell the manner 
of it : it was mere foolery ; I did not mark it. I saw 
Mark Antony offer him a crown; — yet, 'twas not a 
crown neither, 'twas one of these coronets ; — and, as 240 
I told you, he put it by once ; but, for all that, to my 
thinking, he would fain have had it. Then he offered 
it to him again ; then he put it by again : but, to my 
thinking, he was very loth to lay his fingers off it. 
And then he offered it the third time ; he put it the 
third time by : and still as he refused it, the rabble- 
ment shouted, and clapped their chopped hands, and 
threw up their sweaty night-caps, and uttered such a 
deal of stinking breath because Caesar refused the 



66 JULIUS CyESAR [Act I 

250 crown that it had almost choked Caesar ; for he 
swooned, and fell down at it : and for mine own part, 
I durst not laugh, for fear of opening my lips and 
receiving the bad air. 

Cas. But, soft, I pray you: what, did Caesar 
swoon ? 

Casca. He fell down in the market-place, and 
foamed at mouth, and was speechless. 

Bru. 'Tis very like : he hath the falling-sickness. 

Cas. No, Caesar hath it not ; but you and I, 
And honest Casca, we have the falling-sickness. 
260 Casca. I know not what you mean by that ; but, I 
am sure, Caesar fell down. If the tag-rag people did 
not clap him and hiss him, according as he pleased 
. or displeased them, as they used to do the players in 
the theatre, I am no true man. 

Bru. What said he when he came unto himself? 

Casca. Marry, before he fell down, when he per- 
ceived the common herd was glad he refused the 
crown, he plucked me ope his doublet, and offered 
them his throat to cut. — An I had been a man of any 
270 occupation, if I would not have taken him at a word, 
I would I might go to hell among the rogues : — and 
so he fell. When he came to himself again, he said if 
he had done or said anything amiss, he desired their 



Scene 2] JULIUS CJ^SAR 67 

worships to think it was his infirmity. Three or 
four wenches, where I stood, cried "Alas, good soul!" 
— and forgave him with all their hearts : but there's 
no heed to be taken of them ; if Caesar had stabbed 
their mothers, they would have done no less. 

Bru. And after that he came, thus sad, away? 

Casca. Ay. 280 

Cas. Did Cicero say anything? 

Casca. Ay, he spoke Greek. 

Cas. To what effect ? 

Casca. Nay, an I tell you that I'll ne'er look you i' 
the face again : but those that understood him smiled 
at one another, and shook their heads : but, for mine 
own part, it was Greek to me. I could tell you more 
news too : MaruUus and Flavins, for pulling scarfs 
off Caesar's images, are put to silence. Fare you well. 
There was more foolery yet, if I could remember it. 290 

Cas. Will you sup with me to-night, Casca ? 

Casca. 'No, I am promised forth. 

Cas. Will you dine with me to-morrow ? 

Casca. Ay, if I be alive, and your mind hold, and 
your dinner worth the eatings 

Cas. Good ; I will expect you. 

Casca. Do so; farewell both. [Exit 

Bru. What a blunt fellow is this grown to be ! 



6S JULIUS CJSSAR [Act I 

He was quick mettle when he went to school. 

300 Cas. So he is now in execution 
Of any bold or noble enterprise, 
However he puts on this tardy form. 
This rudeness is a sauce to his good wit, 
Which gives men stomach to digest his words 
With better appetite. 

Bru. And so it is. For this time I will leave you i 
To-morrow, if you please to speak with me, 
I will come home to you ; or, if you will. 
Come home to me, and I will wait for you. 

310 Cas. I will do so ; — till then, think of the world. 

[Exit Brutus. 
Well, Brutus, thou art noble ; yet, I see 
Thy honorable metal may be wrought 
.From that it is disposed : therefore 'tis meet 
That noble minds keep ever with their likes : 
For who so firm that cannot be seduced ? 
Caesar doth bear me hard : but he loves Brutus ; 
K I were Brutus now, and he were Cassius, 
He should not humor me. I will this night. 
In several hands, in at his windows throw, 

320 As if they came from several citizens. 
Writings all tending to the great opinion 
That Rome holds of his name ; wherein obscurely 



Scene 3] JULIUS CJESAR 69 

Caesar's ambition shall be glanced at ; 

And, after this, let Csesar seat him sure ; 

For we will shake him, or worse days endure. {_ExiL 

Scene III 

The same. A Street 

Thunder and lightning. Enter, from opposite sides^ 
Casca, with his sword drawn, and Cicero 

Cic. Good even, Casca: brought you Caesar home? 
Why are you breathless ? and why stare you so ? 

Casca. Are not you moved, when all the sway of 
earth 
Shakes like a thing unfirm ? O Cicero, 
I have seen tempests, when the scolding winds 
Have rived the knotty oaks ; and T have seen 
The ambitious ocean swell and rage and foam, 
To be exalted with the threatening clouds : 
But never till to-night, never till now. 
Did I go through a tempest dropping fire. 10 

Either there is a civil strife in heaven. 
Or else the world, too saucy with the gods, 
Incenses them to send destruction. 

Cic. Why, saw you anything more wonderful ? 



70 JULIUS C^SAR [Act I 

Casca. A common slave — you know him well by 
sight — 
Held up his left hand, which did flame and burn 
Like twenty torches joined ; and yet his hand, 
Not sensible of fire, remained unscorched. 
Besides, — I have not since put up my sword, — 
20 Against the Capitol I met a lion, 

Who glared upon me, and went surly by 
Without annoying me : and there were drawn 
Upon a heap a hundred ghastly women. 
Transformed with their fear ; who swore they saw 
Men all in fire walk up and down the streets. 
And yesterday the bird of night did sit, 
Even at noonday, upon the market-place, 
Hooting and shrieking. When these prodigies 
Do so conjointly meet, let not men say, 
30 " These are their reasons, — they are natural ; " 
For, I believe, they are portentous things 
Unto the climate that they point upon. 

Cic. Indeed, it is a strange-disposed time : 
But men may construe things after their fashion, 
Clean from the purpose of the things themselves. 
Comes Caesar to the Capitol to-morrow ? 

Casca. He doth ; for he did bid Antonius 
Send word to you he would be there to-morrow. 



Scene 3] JULIUS C^SAR 71 

Cic. Good night, then, Casca : this disturbed sky 
Is not to walk in. 

Casca. Farewell, Cicero. [Exit Cicero. ^^ 

Enter Cassius 

Cas. Who's there ? 

Casca. A Roman. 

Cas. Casca, by your voicBc 

Casca. Your ear is good. Cassius, what night is 
this ! 

Cas. A very pleasing night to honest men. 

Casca. Who ever knew the heavens menace so? 

Cas. Those that have known the earth so full of 
faults. 
For my part, I have walked about the streets, 
Submitting me unto the perilous night ; 
And, thus unbraced, Casca, as you see. 
Have bared my bosom to the thunder-stone : 
And when the cross-blue lightning seemed to open 50 
The breast of heaven, I did present myself 
Even in the aim and very flash of it. 

Casca. But wherefore did you so much terhpt the 
heavens ? 
It is the part of men to fear and tremble, 
When the most mighty gods, by tokens, send 



72 JULIUS CAESAR [Act I 

Such dreadful heralds to astonish us. 

Cas. You are dull, Casca ; and those sparks of life 
That should be in a Roman you do want, 
Or else you use not. You look pale and gaze 
60 And put on fear and case yourself in wonder, 
To see the strange impatience of the heavens : 
But, if you would consider the true cause 
Why all these fires, why all these gliding ghosts, 
Why birds and beasts from quality and kind, 
Why old men fool and children calculate ; 
Why all these things change from their ordinance. 
Their natures, and pre-formed faculties. 
To monstrous quality ; — why you shall find 
That heaven hath infused them with these spirits, 
70 To make them instruments of fear and warning 
Unto some monstrous state. Now could I, Casca, 
Name thee a man most like this dreadful night, 
That thunders, lightens, opens graves, and roars, 
As doth the lion in the Capitol ; 
A man no mightier than thyself or me 
In personal action ; yet prodigious grown 
And fearful, as these strange eruptions are. 

Casca. 'Tis Caesar that you mean ; is it not, 
Cassius ? 

Cas. Let it be who it is : for Romans now 



Scene 3] JULIUS CAESAR 73 

Have thews and limbs like to their ancestors, 80 

But, woe the while ! our fathers' minds are dead, 
And we are governed with our mothers' spirits ; 
Our yoke and sufferance show us womanish. 

Casca. Indeed, they say the senators to-morrow 
Mean to establish Caesar as a king : 
And he shall wear his crown by sea and land, 
In every place save here in Italy. 

Cas. I know where I will wear this dagger then ; 
Cassius from bondage will deliver Cassius : 
Therein, ye gods, you make the weak most strongs go 
Therein, ye gods, you tyrants do defeat : 
Nor stony tower, nor walls of beaten brass, 
Nor airless dungeon, nor strong links of iron, 
Can be retentive to the streilgth of spirit : 
But life, being weary of these worldly bars, 
Never lacks power to dismiss itself. 
If I know this, know aU the world besides, 
That part of tyranny that I do bear 
I can shake off at pleasure. [^Thunder still. 

Casca. So can I : 

So every bondman in his own hand bears 100 

The power to cancel his captivity. 

Cas. And why should Csesar be a tyrant, then ? 
Poor man ! I know he would not be a wolf, 



74 JULIUS CjESAR [Act I 

But that he sees the Romans are but sheep : 
He were no lion were not Romans hinds. 
Those that with haste will make a mighty fire 
Begin it with weak straws : what trash is Rome, 
What rubbish, and what offal, when it serves 
For the base matter to illuminate 

110 So vile a thing as Caesar ! But, O grief. 

Where hast thou led me ? I perhaps speak this 
Before a willing bondman : then I know 
My answer must be made : but I am armed. 
And dangers are to me indifferent. 

Casca. You speak to Casca ; and to such man 
That is no fleering tell-tale. Hold, my hand ; 
Be factious for redress of all these griefs ; 
And I will set this foot of mine as far 
As who goes farthest. 

Cas. There's a bargain made. 

120 Now know^ you, Casca, I have moved already 
Some certain of the noblest-minded Romans 
To undergo with me an enterprise 
Of honorable-dangerous consequence ; 
And I do know by this they stay for me 
In Pompey's porch : for now, this fearful night, 
There is no stir or walking in the streets ; 
And the complexion of the element 



Scene 3] JULIUS CjESAR 75 

In favor's like the work we have in hand, 
Most bloody, fiery, and most terrible. 

Casca. Stand close awhile, for here comes one in 
haste. 130 

Cas. 'Tis Cinria, I do know him by his gait ; 

He is a friend. 

Enter CiNNA 

Cinna, where haste you so ? 

Cin. To find out you. Who's that? Metellus 
Cimber ? 

Cas. No, it is Casca ; one incorporate 
To our attempts. Am I not stayed for, Cinna? 

Cin. I am glad on't. What a fearful night is this ! 
There's two or three of us have seen strange sights. 

Cas. Am I not stayed for ? Tell me. 

Cin. Yes, you are. 

O Cassius, if you could 
But win the noble Brutus to our party — 140 

Caso Be you content. Good Cinna, take this paper, 
And look you lay it in the praetor's chair. 
Where Brutus may but find it ; and throw this 
In at his window : set this up with wax 
Upon old Brutus' statue ; all this done, 
Repair to Pompey's porch, where you shall find us. 
Is Decius Brutus and Trebonius there ? 



76 JULIUS C^SAR [Act I 

Cin. All but Metellus Cimber ; and he's gone 
To seek you at your house. Well, I will hie, 
150 And so bestow these papers as you bade me. 

Cas. That done, repair to Pompey's theatre. 

lExit CiNNA. 
Come, Casca, you and I will yet, ere day, 
See Brutus at his house : three parts of him 
Is ours already ; and the man entire. 
Upon the next encounter, yields him ours. 

Casca. O, he sits highj,n all the people's hearts : 
And that which would appear offence in us 
His countenance, like richest alchemy, 
Will change to virtue and to worthiness. 
160 Cas. Him and his worth and our great need of him 
You have right well conceited. Let us go. 
For it is after midnight ; and ere day 
We will awake him, and be sure of him. [Exeunt, 



Act II] JULIUS C^SAR 77 



ACT II 
I Scene I 
Rome. Brutus* Orchard 

Enter Brutus 

Bru. What, Lucius ! ho ! 
I cannot, by the progress of the stars. 
Give guess how near to day. — Lucius, I say ! — ■ 
I would it were my fault to sleep so soundly. — 
When, Lucius, when ! Awake, I say ! What, Lucius ? 

Enter Lucius 

Luc, Called you, my lord ? 

Bru. Get me a taper in my study, Lucius : 
When it is lighted, come and call me here. 

Luc. I will, my lord. [Exit. 

Bru. It must be by his death : and, for my part, ' lo 
I know no personal cause to spurn at him, 
But for the general. He would be crowned : — 
How that might change his nature, there's the 
question. 



78 JULIUS C^SAR [Act II 

It is the bright day that brings forth the adder ; 
And that craves wary walking. Crown him ? — that ; — 
And then, I grant, we put a sting in him, 
That at his will he may do danger with. 
The abuse of greatness is when it disjoins 
Remorse from power : and, to speak truth of Caesar, 

20 1 have not known when his affections swayed 
More than his reason. But 'tis a common proof 
That lowliness is young ambition's ladder, 
Whereto the climber-upward turns his face : 
But, when he once attains the upmost round, 
He then unto the ladder turns his back. 
Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees 
By which he did ascend : so Csesar may ; 
Then, lest he may, prevent. And, since the quarrel 
Will bear no color for the thing he is, 

30 Fashion it thus : that what he is, augmented, 
Would run to these and these extremities : 
And therefore think him as a serpent's eggf 
Which, hatched, would, as his kind, grow mischievous. 
And kill him in the shell. 

Reenter Lucius 

Luc. The taper burneth in your closet, sir. 
Searching the window for a flint, I found 



Scene 1] JULIUS C^SAR 79 

This paper thus sealed up ; and I am sure, 
It did not lie there when I went to bed. 

\_Gives him the letter, 

Bru. Get you to bed again, it is not day. 
Is not to-morrow, boy, the ides of March ? 40 

Luc. I know not, sir. 

Bru. Look in the calendar, and bring me word. 

Luc. I will, sir. \_Exit 

Bru. The exhalations, whizzing in the air, 
Give so much light, that I may read by them. 

\_Opens the letter, and reads. 

Brutus, thou sleep'st ; awake, and see thyself. 
Shall Rome, Sfc. Speak, strike, redress! — 
Brutus, thou sleep'st ; aioake ! — 

Such instigations have been often dropped 

Where I have took them up. 50' 

" Shall Rome, &c." Thus must I piece it out ; 

Shall Rome stand under one man's awe ? What ! 

Rome ? 
My ancestors did from the streets of Rome 
The Tarquin drive, when he was called a king. 
" Speak, strike, redress ! " — Am I entreated 
To speak and strike? O Rome ! I make thee 

promise, 



80 JULIUS CyESAR [Act II 

If the redress will follow, thou receivest 
Thy full petition at the hand of Brutus 1 

Reenter Lucius 

Luc. Sir, March is wasted fourteen days. 

[Knocking loithin. 
60 Bru. *Tis good. Go to the gate : somebody knocks. 

[Exit Lucius. 
Since Cassius first did whet-Hifi ^against Cgesar ^, 
I have not slept. 

Between the acting of a dreadful thing 
And the first motion, all the interim is 
Like a phantasma, or a hideous dream : 
The genius and the mortal instruments 
Are then in council ; and the state of man, 
Like to a little kingdom, suffers then 
The nature of an insurrection. 

Reenter Lucius 
70 Luc. Sir, 'tis your brother Cassius at the door, 
Who doth desire to see you. 
Bru. Is he alone? 

Luc. No, sir, there are more with him. 
Bru. Do you know them ? 

Luc. No, sir ; their hats are plucked about their 
ears. 



Scene 1] JULIUS C^SAR 81 

And half their faces buried in their cloaks, 
That by no means I may discover them, 
By any mark of favor. 

Bru. Let them enter. 

[_Exit Lucius. 
They are the faction. O Consp iracy^ 
Sham'st thou to show thy dangerous brow by night. 
When evils are most free ? O, then, by day. 
Where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough 80 
To mask thy monstrous visage? Seek none, Con- 
spiracy ; 
Hide it in smiles and affability : 
For, if thou path, thy native semblance on, 
l^ot Erebus itself were dim enough 
To hide thee from prevention. , 

Enter Cassius, Casca, Decius, Cinna, Metellus 
CiMBER, and Trebonius 

Cas. I think we are too bold upon your rest : 
Good morrow, Brutus ; do we trouble you ? 

Bru. I have been up this hour ; awake all night. 
Know I these men that come along with yoil ? 

Cas. Yes, every man of them ; and no man here 90 
But honors you : and every one doth wish 
You had but that opinion of yourself 



82 JULIUS C^SAR [Act II 

Which every noble bears of you. 
This is Trebonius. 

Bru. He is welcome hither. 

Cas. This, Decius Brutus. 

Bru. He is welcome too. 

Cas. This, Casca ; this, Cinna ; and this, Metellus 
Cimber. 

Bru. They all are welcome. 
What watchful cares do interpose themselves 
Betwixt your eyes and night? 
100 Cas, Shall I entreat a word ? \_They whisper. 

Dec. Here lies the east : doth not the day break 
here ? 

Casca. No. 

Cin. O, pardon, sir, it doth : and yon gray lines 
That fret the clouds are messengers of day. 

Casca. You shall confess that you are both deceived. 
Here, as I point my sword, the sun arises ; 
Which is a great way growing on the south. 
Weighing the youthful season of the year. 
Some two months hence, up higher toward the north 
110 He first presents his fire ; and the high east 
Stands, as the Capitol, directly here. 

Bru. Give me your hands all over, one by one. 

Cas. And let us swear our resolution. 



Scene 1] JULIUS O^SAB 83 

Bru. 'No, not an oath : if not the face of men, 
The sufferance of our souls, the time's abuse, — 
If these be motives weak, break off betimes. 
And every man hence to his idle bed; 
So let high-sighted tyranny range on. 
Till each man drop by lottery. But if these. 
As I am sure they do, bear fire enough 
To kindle cowards, and to steal with valor 
The melting spirits of women ; then, countrymen, 
What need we any spur but our own cause 
To prick us to redress? what other bond - 
Than secret Romans, that have spoke the word, 
And will not palter ? and what other oath 
Than honesty to honesty engaged 
That this shall be, or we will fall for it ? 
Swear priests, and cowards, and men cautelous, 
Old feeble carrions, and such suffering souls 
That welcome wrongs ; unto bad causes swear 
Such creatures as men doubt : but do not stain 
The even virtue of our enterprise. 
Nor the insuppressive mettle of our spirits. 
To think that or our cause or our performance. 
Did need an oath ; when every drop of blood 
That every Roman bears, and nobly bears. 
Is guilty of a several bastardy, 



84 JULIUS C^SAR [Act II 

If he do break the smallest particle 
140 Of any promise that hath passed from him. 

Cas. But what of Cicero? shall we sound him? 
I think he will stand very strong with us. 

Casca. Let us not leave him out. 

Cin. KTo, by no means. 

Met. O, let us have him ; for his silver hairs 
Will purchase us a good opinion, 
And buy men's voices to commend our deeds : 
It shall be said his judgment ruled our hands ; 
Our youth and wildness shall no whit appear, 
But all be buried in his gravity. 
150 Bru. O, name him not ; let us not break with him ; 
For he will never follow anything 
That other men begin. 

Cas. Then leave him out. 

Casca. Indeed, he is not fit. 

Dec. Shall no man else be touched but only Caesar? 

Cas. Decius, well urged : — I think it is not meet, 
Mark Antony, so well beloved of Caesar, 
Should outlive Csesar : we shall find of him 
A shrewd contriver ; and you know his means, 
If he improve them, may well stretch so far 
160 As to annoy us all : which to prevent, 
Let Antony and Csesar fall together. 



Scene 1] JULIUS C^SAR 85 

Bru. Our course will seem too bloody, Caius 
Cassius, 
To cut the head off, and then hack the limbs, 
Like wrath in death and envy afterwards : 
For Antony is but a limb of Caesar. 
Let us be sacrificers, but not butchers, Caius. 
We all stand up against the spirit of Caesar ; 
And in the spirit of men there is no blood : 
O, that we then could come by Caesar's spirit. 
And not dismember Caesar ! But, alas, 170 

Caesar must bleed for it ! And, gentle friends, 
Let's kill him boldly, but not wrathf uUy ; 
Let's carve him as a dish fit for the gods, 
Not hew him as a carcase fit for hounds : 
And let our hearts, as subtle masters do. 
Stir up their servants to an act of rage. 
And after seem to chide them. This shall make 
Our purpose necessary, and not envious : 
Which so appearing to the common eyes. 
We shall be called purgers, not murderers. 180 

And for Mark Antony, think not of him ; 
For he can do no more than Caesar's arm, 
When Caesar's head is off. 

Cas. Yet I fear him : 

For in th' ingrafted love he bears to Caesar, — 



86 JULIUS CAESAR [Act II 

£ru. Alas, good Cassius ! do not think o£,him : 
If he love Caesar, all that he can do 
Is to himself, — take thought, and die for Caesar : 
And that were much he should ; for he is given 
To sports, to wildness, and much company.- 
190 Tt^eb. There is no fear in him ; let him not die ; 
For he will live, and laugh at this hereafter. 

[_ClocJc strikes. 

Bru. Peace ! count the clock. 

Cas. The clock hath stricken three. 

Treb. 'Tis time to part. 

Cas. But it is doubtful yet 

Whether Caesar will come forth to-day, or no : 
For he is superstitious grown of late ; 
Quite from the main opinion he held once 
Of fantasy, of dreams, and ceremonies ; 
It may be these apparent prodigies, 
The unaccustomed terror of this night, 
200 And the persuasion of his augurers 
May hold him from the Capitol to-day. 

Dec. Never fear that : if he be so resolved, 
I can o'ersway him : for he loves to hear 
That unicorns may be betrayed with trees, 
And bears with glasses, elephants with holes, 
Lions with toils, and men with flatterers : 



Scene 1] JULIUS CAESAR 87 

But when I tell him he hates flatterers, 

He says he does ; being then most flattered. 

Let me work : 

For I can give his humor the true bent ; 210 

And I will bring him to the Capitol. 

Cas. Nay, we will all of us be there to fetch him. 

Bru. By the eighth hour ; is that the uttermost ? 

Cin. Be that the uttermost, and fail not then. 

Met. Caius Ligarius doth bear Caesar hard, 
Who rated him for speaking well of Ponipey ; 
I wonder none of you have thought of him. 

Bru. Now, good Metellus, go along by him ; 
He loves me well, and I have given him reasons ; 
Send him but hither, and I'll fashion him. 220 

Cas. The morning comes upon us : we'll leave you, 
Brutus : — 
And, friends, disperse yourselves : but all remember 
What you have said, and show yourselves true 
Romans. 

Bru. Good gentlemen, look fresh and merrily ; 
Let not our looks put on our purposes ; 
But bear it as our Roman actors do. 
With untired spirits and formal constancy : 
And so, good morrow to you every one. 

[Exeunt all hut Brutus. 



88 JULIUS CJESAR [Act II 

Boy ! Lucius ! — Fast asleep ? It is no matter ; 
230 Enjoy the honey-heavy dew of slumber : 
Thou hast no figures nor no fantasies, 
Which busy care draws in the brains of men : 
Therefore thou sleep'st so sound. 

Enter Portia 

Par. Brutus, my lord \ 

Bru. Portia, what mean you ? Wherefore rise you 
now? 
It is not for your health thus to commit 
Your weak condition to the raw-cold morning. 

Por. Nor for yours neither. You've ungently, 
Brutus, 
Stole from my bed : and yesternight, at supper, 
You suddenly arose, and walked about, 
240 Musing and sighing, with your arms across: 
And when I asked you what the matter was. 
You stared upon me with ungentle looks : 
I urged you further ; then you scratched your head. 
And too impatiently stamped with your foot : 
Yet I insisted, yet you answered not ; 
But, with an angry wafture of your hand. 
Gave sign for me to leave you : so I did ; 
Fearing to strengthen that impatience 



Scene 1] JULIUS C^SAR 89 

Which seemed too much enkindled ; and, withal, 
Hoping it was but an effect of humor, 250 

Which sometime hath his hour with every man. 
It will not let you eat nor talk nor sleep ; 
And, could it work so much upon your shape 
As it hath much prevailed on your condition, 
I should not know you, Brutus. Dear my lord, 
Make me acquainted with your cause of grief. 

Bru. I am not well in health, and that is all. 

Por. Brutus is wise, and, were he not in health, 
He would embrace the means to come by it. 

Bru. Why, so I do : — good Portia, go to bed. 260 

Por. Is Brutus sick ? and is it physical 
To walk unbraced, and suck up the humors 
Of the dank morning? What, is Brutus sick? 
And will he steal out of his wholesome bed. 
To dare the vile contagion of the night. 
And tempt the rheumy and unpurged air 
To add unto his sickness ? No, my Brutus ; 
You have some sick offence within your mind, 
Which, by the right and virtue of my place, 
I ought to know of : and, upon my knees, 270 

I charm you, by my once commended beauty, 
By all your vows of love, and that great vow 
Which did incorporate and make us one. 



90 JULIUS CyESAR [Act U 

That you unfold to me, yourself, your half, 
Why you are heavy ; and what men to-night 
Have had resort to you : for here have been 
Some six or seven, who did hide their faces 
Even from darkness. 

Bru. Kneel not, gentle Portia. 

Por. I should not need, if you were gentle Brutus. 
280 "Within the bond of marriage, tell me, Brutus, 
Is it excepted I should know no secrets 
That appertain to you ? Am I yourself 
But, as it were, in sort or limitation ; 
To keep with you at meals, comfort your heart 
And talk to you sometimes ? Dwell I but in the 

suburbs 
Of your good pleasure ? 

Bru. You are my true and honorable wife ; 
As dear to me as are the ruddy drops 
That visit my sad heart. 

Por. If this were true, then should I know this 
290 secret. 

I grant I am a woman ; but, withal, 

A woman that Lord Brutus took to wife : 

I grant I am a woman ; but, withal, 

A woman well-reputed, — Cato's daughter. 

Think you I am no stronger than my sex, 



Scene 1] JULIUS CAESAR 91 

Being so fathered, and so husbanded ? 

Tell me your counsels, I will not disclose them ; 

I have made strong proof of my constancy. 

Giving myseK a voluntary wound 

Here, in the thigh : can I bear that with patience, 300 

And not my husband's secrets ? 

Bru. O ye gods, 

Render me worthy of this noble wife ! 

[^Knocking ivithin. 
Hark, hark ! one knocks : Portia, go in a while ; 
And by and by thy bosom shall partake 
The secrets of my heart. 
All my engagements I will construe to thee, 
All the charactery of my sad brows : — 
Leave me with haste. Lucius, who is't that knocks ? 

[Exit Portia. 

Enter Lucius and Ligarius 

Luc. Here is a sick man that would speak with you. 

Bru. Caius Ligarius, that Metellus spake of. — 310 
Boy, stand aside. — Caius Ligarius ! how ? 

Lig. Vouchsafe good morrow from a feeble tongue. 

Bru. O, what a time have you chose out, brave 
Caius, 
To wear a kerchief ? Would you were not sick ! 



92 JULIUS C^SAR [Act II 

Lig. I am not sick, if Brutus have in hand 
Any exploit worthy the name of honor. 

Bru. Such an exploit have I in hand, Ligarius, 
Had you a healthful ear to hear of it. 

Lig. By all the gods that Romans bow before, 
320 1 here discard my sickness ! Soul of Rome ! 
Brave son, derived from honorable loins ! 
Thou like an exorcist hast conjured up 
My mortified spirit. Now bid me run, 
And I will strive with things impossible ; 
Yea, get the better of them. What's to do? 

Bru. A piece of work that will make sick men 
whole. 

Lig. But are not some whole that we must make 
sick ? 

Bru. That must we also. What it is, my Caius, 
I shall unfold to thee, as we are going 
To whom it must be done. 
330 Lig. Set on your foot ; 

And, with a heart new fired, I follow you, 
To do I know not what : but it sufficeth 
That Brutus leads me on. 

Bru. Follow me then. [Exeunt. 



Scene 2] JULIUS C^SAR 93 

Scene II 

The same. A Room in Cesar's Palace 

Thunder and lightning. Enter C^sar in his nightgown 

Cms. Nor heaven nor earth have been at peace 
to-night : 
Thrice hath Calpurnia in her sleep cried out, 
" Help, ho ! They murder Caesar ! " Who's within ? 

Enter a Servant 

Serv. My lord? 

Cces. Go bid the priests do present sacrifice, 
And bring me their opinions of success. 

Serv. I will, my lord. [Exit.: 

Enter Calpurnia 

Cal. What mean you, Caesar ? Think you to walk 
forth? 
You shall not stir out of your house to-day. 

Cces. Caesar shall forth : the things that threatened 
me 10 

Ne'er looked but on my back ; when they shall see 
The face of Caesar, they are vanished. 

Cal. Caesar, I never stood on ceremonies. 
Yet now they fright me. There is one within, 



94 JULIUS C^SAR [Act II 

Besides the things that we have heard and seen 

Kecounts most horrid sights seen by the watch. 

A lioness hath whelped in the streets ; 

And graves have yawned and yielded up their dead : 

Fierce, fiery warriors fought upon the clouds, 
20 In ranks, and squadrons, and right form of war, 

Which drizzled blood upon the Capitol : 

The noise of battle hurtled in the air. 

Horses did neigh, and dying men did groan, 

And ghosts did shriek and squeal about the streets. 

O Caesar ! these things are beyond all use, 

And I do fear them. 

Cces. What can be avoided 

Whose end is purposed by the mighty gods ? 

Yet Caesar shall go forth : for these predictions 

Are to the world in general, as to Csesar. 
30 Col. When beggars die, there are no comets seen ,• 

The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of 
princes. 
Cces. Cowards die many times before their deaths : 

The valiant never taste of death but once. 

Of all the wonders that I yet have heard, 

It seems to me most strange that men should fear 

Seeing that death, a necessary end, 

Will come when it will come. 



Scene 2] JULIUS C^SAR 95 

Reenter Servant 

What say the augurers ? 

Serv. They would not have you to stir forth 
to-day. 
Plucking the entrails of an offering forth, 
They could not find a heart within the beast. 40 

Cces. The gods do this in shame of cowardice ; 
Csesar should be a beast without a heart, 
If he should stay at home to-day for fear. 
No, Csesar shall not : Danger knows full well 
That Csesar is more dangerous than he. 
We are two lions littered in one day, 
And I the elder and more terrible ; 
And Caesar shall go forth. 

Cal. Alas, my lord. 

Your wisdom is consumed in confidence. 
Do not go forth to-day : call it my fear 50 

That keeps you in the house, and not your own. 
We'll send Mark Antony to the senate-house ; 
And he shall say you are not well to-day : 
Let me, upon my knee, prevail in this. 

Cces. Mark Antony shall say I am not well: 
And, for thy humor, I will stay at home. 



96 JULIUS CyESAR [Act II 

Enter Decius 

Here's Decius Brutus, he shall tell them so. 

Dec. Caesar, all hail ! Good morning, worthy 
Caesar : 
I come to fetch you to the senate-house. 
60 Cces. And you are come in very happy time 
To bear my greeting to the senators, 
And teU them that I will not come to-day : 
Cannot, is false ; and that I dare not, falser ; 
I will not come to-day : tell them so, Decius. 

Cal. Say he is sick. 

Cces. Shall Csesar send a lie ? 

Have I in conquest stretched mine arm so far. 
To be af eared to tell graybeards the truth? 
Decius, go tell them Caesar will not come. 

Dec. Most mighty Caesar, let me know some cause, 
70 Lest I be laughed at when I tell them so. 

Cces. The cause is in my will, I will not come ; 
That is enough to satisfy the senate. 
But, for your private satisfaction. 
Because I love you, I will let you know ; 
Calpurnia here, my wife, stays me at home ; 
She dreamt to-night she saw my statua, 
Which, like a fountain with a hundred spouts, 



Scene 2] JULIUS C^SAR 97 

Did run pure blood ; and many lusty Romans 

Came smiling, and did bathe their hands in it. 

And these does she apply for warnings and portents 80 

Of evils imminent ; and on her knee 

Hath begged that I will stay at home to-day. 

Dec. This dream is all amiss interpreted ; 
It was a vision fair and fortunate : 
Your statue, spouting blood in many pipes, 
In which so many smiling Romans bathed, 
Signifies that from you great Rome shall suck 
Reviving blood ; and that great men shall press 
For tinctures, stains, relics, and cognizance. 
This by Calpurnia's dream is signified. 90 

Cces. And this way have you well expounded it. 

Dec. I have, when you have heard what I can say : 
And know it now ; the senate have concluded 
To give, this day, a crown to mighty Csesar. 
If you shall send them word you will not come. 
Their minds may change. Besides, it were a mock 
Apt to be rendered, for some one to say 
" Break up the senate till another time, 
When Csesar's wife shall meet with better dreams." 
If Caesar hide himself, shall they not whisper, 100 

" Lo, Caesar is afraid ? " 
Pardon me, Caesar : for my dear, dear love 



98 JULIUS C^SAE [Act II 

To your proceeding bids me tell you this ; 
And reason to my love is liable. 

Cces. How foolish do your fears seem now, Calpur- 
nia! 
I am ashamed I did yield to them. — 
Give me my robe, for I will go : — 

Enter Publius, Brutus, Ligarius, Metellus, 
Casca, Trebonius, «nc? Cinna 

And look where Publius is come to fetch me. 

Pub. Good morrow, Caesar. 

Cces. Welcome, Publius. — 

110 What, Brutus, are you stirred so early too ? 
Good morrow, Casca — Caius Ligarius, 
Caesar was ne'er so much your enemy 
As that same ague which hath made you lean. — 
What is't o'clock ? 

jBrw. Caesar, 'tis strucken eight. 

Cces. I thank you for your pains and courtesy. 

Enter Antony 

See ! Antony, that revels long o' nights, 

Is notwithstanding up. Good morrow, Antony. 

Ant. So to most noble Caesar. 

Cces. Bid them prepare within : — 

I am to blame to be thus waited for. — 



Scene 3] JULIUS CJESAR 99 

'Now, Cinna : now, Metellus : — what, Trebonius ! 120 
I have an hour's talk in store for you ; 
Kemember that you call on me to-day : 
Be near me, that I may remember you. 

Treb. Csesar, I will : — [A side.'] and so near will I be, 
That your best friends shall wish I had been further. 

Cces. Good friends, go in, and taste some wine with 
me ; 
And we, like friends, will straightway go together. 

Bru. [_Aside.'] That every like is not the same, O 
Csesar, 
The heart of Brutus yearns to think upon ! ^Exeunt. 

Scene III 

77ie same. A Street near the. Capitol 

Enter Aetemidorus, reading a paper 
Art. 

CoRsar, beware of Brutus ; take heed of Cassius ; come 
not near Casca; have an eye to Cinna; trust not Tre- 
bonius; mark well Metellus Cimber ; Decius Brutus 
loves thee not ; thou hast wronged Caius Ligarius. 
There is but one mind in all these men, and it is bent 
against CcEsar. If thou beest not immortal, look about 
you : security gives way to conspiracy. The mighty gods 
defend thee ! Thy lover , Artemidorus. 



100 JULIUS C^SAR [Act U 

Here will I stand till Csesar pass along, 
10 And as a suitor will I give him this. 
My heart laments that virtue cannot live 
Out of the teeth of emulation. 
K thou read this, O Csesar, thou mayst live : 
K not, the Fates with traitors do contrive. [Exit 

Scene IV 

The same. Another part of the same street, before the 
House of Brutus 

Enter Portia and Lucius 

Por. I pr'ythee, boy, run to the senate-house ; 
Stay not to answer me, but get thee gone. 
Why dost thou stay ? 

Luc. To know my errand, madam. 

Por. I would have had thee there, and here again, 
Ere I can tell thee what thou shouldst do there. — 

constancy, be strong upon my side ! 

Set a huge mountain 'tween my heart and tongue ! 

1 have a man's mind, but a woman's might. 
How hard it is for women to keep counsel ! — 
Art thou here yet ? 

10 Luc. Madam, what should I do ? 

Kun to the Capitol, and nothing else ? 



Scene 4] JULIUS C^SAR 101 

And so return to you, and nothing else ? 

Por. Yes, bring me word, boy, if thy lord look 
well, 
For he went sickly forth : and take good note 
What Csesar doth, what suitors press to him. 
Hark, boy ! what noise is that ? 

Luc. I hear none, madam. 

Por. Pr'ythee, listen well. 

I hear a bustling rumor, like a fray, 
And the wind brings it from the Capitol. 

Luc. Sooth, madam, I hear nothing. 20 

Enter the Soothsayer 

Por. Come hither, fellow : which way hast thou 
been ? 

Sooth. At mine own house, good lady. 

Por. What is't o'clock ? 

Sooth. About the ninth hour, lady. 

Por. Is Caesar yet gone to the Capitol ? 

Sooth. Madam, not yet ; I go to take my stand 
To see him pass on to the Capitol. 

Por. Thou hast some suit to Csesar, hast thou not ? 

Sooth. That I have, lady : if it will please Caesar 
To be so good to Caesar as to hear me, 
I shall beseech him to befriend himself. 30 



102 JULIUS C^SAR [Act II 

Par. Why, know'st thou any harm's intended 
towards him? 

Sooth. None that I know will be, much that. I fear 
may chance. 
Good morrow to you. Here the street is narrow : 
The throng that follows Caesar at the heels, 
Of senators, of praetors, common suitors. 
Will crowd a feeble man almost to death : 
I'll get me to a place more void, and there 
Speak to great Caesar as he comes along. {Exit, 

Por. I must go in. — Ah me ! how weak a thing 

40 The heart of woman is ! O Brutus ! 

The heavens speed thee in thine enterprise ! 

Sure, the boy heard me : — Brutus hath a suit 

That Caesar will not grant. — O, I grow faint : — 

Run, Lucius, and commend me to my lord ; 

Say I am merry : come to me again. 

And bring me word what he doth say to thee. 

{Exeunt. 



Act III] JULIUS C^SAR 103 



ACT III 

Scene I 

Rome. The Capitol ; the Senate sitting 

A crowd of people in the street leading to the Capitol; 
among them Artemidorus and the Soothsayer. 
Flourish. Enter C^sar, Brutus, Cassius, Casca, 
Decius, Metellus, Trebonius, Cinna, Antony, 
Lepidus, Popilius, PuBLius, and others, 

Cces. The ides of March are come. 

Sooth. Ay, Caesar ; but not gone. 

Art. Hail, Csesar! Read this schedule. 

Dec. Trebonius doth desire you to o'er-read. 
At your best leisure, this his humble suit. 

Art. O Csesar, read mine first; for mine's a suit 
That touches Csesar nearer : read it, great Csesar. 

Cces. What touches us ourself shall be last served. 

Art. Delay not, Csesar ; read it instantly. 

Ca^s. What, is the fellow mad ? 

Pub. Sirrah, give place. 10 

Cas. What, urge you your petitions in the street ? 
Come to the Capitol. 



104 JULIUS C^SAR [Act III 

C^SAR enters the Capitol, the rest following. All the 
Senators rise. 

Pop. I wish your enterprise to-day may thrive. 

Cas. What enterprise, Popilius ? 

Pop. Fare you well. 

\_Advances to Caesar. 

Bru. What said Popilius Lena ? 

Cas. He wished to-day our enterprise might thrive. 
I fear our purpose is discovered. 

Bru. Look, how he makes to Caesar : mark him. 

Cas. Casca, be sudden, for we fear prevention. — 
20 Brutus, what shall be done ? If this be known, 
Cassius or Caesar never shall turn back, 
For I will slay myself. 

Bru. Cassius, be constant : 

Popilius Lena speaks not of our purposes ; 
For, look, he smiles, and Caesar doth not change. 

Cas. Trebonius knows his time; for, look you, 
Brutus, 
He draws Mark Antony out of the way. 

[Exeunt Antony and Trebonius. Caesar and the 
Senators take their seats. 

Dec. Where is Metellus Cimber ? Let him go. 
And presently prefer his suit to Caesar. 



Scene 1] JULIUS C^SAR 105 

Bru. He is addressed: press near, and second him. 

Cin. Casca, you are the first that rears your hand. 30 

Cces. Are we all ready? What is now amiss 
That Csesar and his senate must redress ? 

Met. Most high, most mighty, and most puissant 
Caesar, 
Metellus Cimber throws before thy seat 
An humble heart : — [^Kneeling. 

Cces. I must prevent thee, Cimber. 

These couchings and these lowly courtesies 
Might fire the blood of ordinary men, 
And turn pre-ordinance and first decree 
Into the law of children. Be not fond, 
To think that Csesar bears such rebel blood 40 

That will be thawed from the true quality 
With that which melteth fools ; I mean sweet words, 
Low-crooked curtsies, and base spaniel-fawning. 
Thy brother by decree is banished ; 
If thou dost bend and pray and fawn for him, 
I spurn thee, like a cur, out of my way. 
Know, Caesar doth not wrong : nor without cause 
Will he be satisfied. 

Met. Is there no voice more worthy than my own 
To sound more sweetly in great Caesar's ear, 50 

For the repealing of my banished brother ? 



106 JULIUS CyESAR [Act III 

Bru. I kiss thy hand, but not in flattery, Csesar ; 
Desiring thee that Publius Cimber may 
Have an immediate freedom of repeal. 

Cces. What, Brutus ! 

Cas. Pardon, Caesar : Caesar, pardon : 

As low as to thy foot doth Cassius fall 
To beg enfranchisement for Publius Cimber. 

Cces. I could be well moved if I were as you ; 
If I could pray to move, prayers would move me : 
60 But I am constant as the northern star. 
Of whose true-fixed and resting quality 
There is no fellow in the firmament. 
The skies are painted with unnumbered sparks, 
They all are fire, and every one doth shine ; 
But there's but one in all doth hold his place ; 
So, in the world : 'tis furnished well with men, 
And men are flesh and blood, and apprehensive ; 
Yet, in the number, I do know but one, 
That unassailable holds on his rank, 
70 Unshaked of motion : and, that I am he, 
Let me a little show it, even in this, — 
That I was constant Cimber should be banished. 
And constant do remain to keep him so. 

Cin. O Csesar, — 

Cces. Hence ! wilt thou lift up Olympus? 



Scene 1] JULIUS C^SAR 107 

Dec. Great Caesar, — 

Cces. Doth not Brutus bootless kneel ? 

Casca. Speak, hands, for me. 

[Casca stabs Cjesar in the neck. C^.sar catches 
hold of his arm. He is then stabbed by several 
other Conspirators, and at last by Marcus 
Brutus. 
Cces. Et tu, Brute f — Then fall, Caesar. 

[_Dies. The Senators and people retire in confusion. 
Cin. Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead ! — 
Run hence, proclaim, cry it about the streets. 

Cas. Some to the common pulpits, and cry out, — 80 
"Liberty, freedom, and enfranchisement! " 

Bru. People and senators ! be not affrighted ; 
Fly not; stand still : — ambition's debt is paid. 
Casca. Go to the pulpit, Brutus. 
Dec. And Cassius too. 

Bru. Where's Publius ? 

Cin. Here, quite confounded with this mutiny. 
Met. Stand fast together, lest some friend of 
Caesar's 
Should chance — 

Bru. Talk not of standing, — Publius, good cheer ; 
There is no harm intended to your person, 
Nor to u'o Roman else 7^^ tell them, Publius. 



108 JULIUS C^SAR [Act IH 

Cas, And leave us, Publius ; lest that the people, 
Rushing on us, should do your age some mischief. 

Bru. Do so ; — and let no man abide this deed 
But we the doers. 

Reenter Trebonius 

Cas. Where is Antony ? 

Tre. Fled to his house amazed : 
Men, wives, and children stare, cry out, and run, 
As it were doomsday. 

Bru. Fates ! we will know your pleasures : — 
100 That we shall die we know ; 'tis but the time. 
And drawing days out, that men stand upon. 

Cas. Why, he that cuts off twenty years of life 
Cuts off so many years of fearing death. 

Bru. Grant that, and then is death a benefit : 
So we are Caesar's friends, that have abridged 
His time of fearing death. — Stoop, Romans, stoop, 
And let us bathe our hands in Csesar's blood 
Up to the elbows, and besmear our swords : 
Then walk w^e forth, even to the market-place ; 
110 And, waving our red weapons o'er our heads, 
Let's all cry, " Peace, Freedom, and Liberty ! " 

Cas. Stoop, then, and wash. — How many ages 
hence 



Scene 1] JULIUS C^SAR 109 

Shall this our lofty scene be acted o'er 

In states unborn and accents yet unknown ! 

Bru. How many times shall Caesar bleed in sport, 
That now on Pompey's basis lies along, 
No worthier than the dust ! 

Cas. So oft as that shall be, 

So often shall the knot of us be called 
The men that gave their country liberty. 
i Dec. What, shall we forth ? 

Cas. Ay, every man away : 120 

Brutus shall lead ; and we will grace his heels 
With the most boldest and best hearts of Rome. 

Bru. Soft, who comes here ? 

Enter a Servant 

A friend of Antony's. 
Serv. Thus, Brutus, did my master bid me kneel ; 
Thus did Mark Antony bid me fall down ; 
And, being prostrate, thus he bade me say : 
" Brutus is noble, wise, valiant, and honest ; 
Caesar was mighty, bold, royal, and loving : 
Say I love Brutus, and I honor him ; 
Say I feared Caesar, honored him, and loved him. 130 

If Brutus will vouchsafe that Antony 
May safely come to him, and be resolved 



110 JULIUS C^SAR [Act II 

How Caesar hath deserved to lie in death, 

Mark Antony shall not love Caesar dead 

So well as Brutus living ; but will follow 

The fortunes and affairs of noble Brutus, 

Thorough the hazards of this untrod state. 

With all true faith." So says my master Antony. 

Bru. Thy master is a wise and valiant Roman ; 
140 1 never thought him worse. 

Tell him, so please him come unto this place, 
He shall be satisfied ; and, by my honor. 
Depart untouched. 

Serv. I'll fetch him presently. [_Exit. 

Bru. I know that we shall have him well to friend. 

Cas. I wish we may : but yet have I a mind 
That fears him much ; and my misgiving still 
Falls shrewdly to the purpose. 

Bru. But here comes Antony. 

Reenter Antony 

Welcome, Mark Antony. 
Ant. O mighty Caesar ! dost thou lie so low? 
150 Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils, 
Shrunk to this little measure ? — Fare thee well. — 
I know not, gentlemen, what you intend. 
Who else must be let blood, who else is rank : 



Scene 1] JULIUS C^SAR 111 

If I myself, there is no hour so fit 

As Caesar's death's hour ; nor no instrument 

Of half that worth as those your swords, made rich 

With the most noble blood of all this world. 

I do beseech ye, if you bear me hard, 

Now, whilst your purpled hands do reek and smoke, 

Fulfil your pleasure. Live a thousand years, 160 

I shall not find myself so apt to die : 

No place will please me so, no mean of death, 

As here by Caesar, and by 3^ou cut off, 

The choice and master spirits of this age. 

Bru. O Antony! beg not your death of us. 
Though now we must appear bloody and cruel, 
As, by our hands and this our present act. 
You see we do ; yet see you but our hands, 
And this the bleeding business they have done : 
Our hearts you see not, they are pitiful ; 170 

And pity to the general wrong of Rome — 
As fire drives out fire, so pity, pity — 
Hath done this deed on Caesar. For your part. 
To you our swords have leaden points, Mark Antony; 
Our arms in strength of amity, and our hearts 
Of brothers' temper, do receive you in 
With all kind love, good thoughts, and reverence. 

Cas. Your voice shall be as strong as any man's 



112 JULIUS C^SAR [Act III 

In the disposing of new dignities. 

180 Bru. Only be patient, till we have appeased 
The multitude, beside themselves with fear ; 

. And then we will deliver you the cause. 

Why I, that did love Csesar when I struck him, 
Have thus proceeded. 

Ant. I doubt not of your wisdom 

Let each man render me his bloody hand : 
First, Marcus Brutus, will I shake with you ; — 
Next, Caius Cassius, do I take your hand ; ~- 
Now, Decius Brutus, yours; — now yours, Metellus; — 
Yours, Cinna; — and, my valiant Casca, yours; — 

190 Though last, not least in love, yours, good Trebonius. 
Gentlemen all, — alas ! what shall I say ? 
My credit now stands on such slippery ground 
That one of two bad ways you must conceit me, 
Either a coward or a flatterer. — 
That I did love thee, Caesar, O, 'tis true : 
If, then, thy spirit look upon us now, 
Shall it not grieve thee dearer than thy death 
To see thy Antony making his peace, 
Shaking the bloody fingers of thy foes, 

200 Most noble ! in the presence of thy corse ? 
Had I as many eyes as thou hast wounds. 
Weeping as fast as they stream forth thy blood, 



Scene 1] JULIUS C^SAR 113 

It would become me better, than to close 

In terms of friendship with thine enemies. 

Pardon me, Julius! — Here wast thou bayed, brave 

hart ; 
Here didst thou fall ; and here thy hunters stand, 
Signed in thy spoil, and crimsoned in thy lethe. 
O world ! thou wast the forest to this hart ; 
And this, indeed, O world ! the heart of thee. — 
How like a deer, strucken by many princes, 210 

Dost thou here lie ! 

Cas. Mark Antony, — 

Ant. Pardon me, Caius Cassius ; 

The enemies of Csesar shall say this ; 
Then, in a friend, it is cold modesty. 

Cas. I blame you not for praising Caesar so ; 
But what compdct mean you to have with us ? 
Will you be pricked in number of our friends ; 
Or shall we on, and not depend on you ? 

A nt. Therefore 1 took your hands ; but was, indeed. 
Swayed from the point, by looking down on Caesar. 220 
Friends am I with you all, and love you all ; 
Upon this hope, that you shall give me reasons 
Why and wherein Caesar was dangerous. 

Bru. Or else were this a savage spectacle. 
Our reasons are so full of good regard 



114 JULIUS CJESAR [Act III 

That were you, Antony, the son of Caesar, 
You should be satisfied. 

Ant. That's all I seek : 

And am, moreover, suitor that I may 
Produce his body to the market-place ; 
230 And in the pulpit, as becomes a friend, 
Speak in the order of his funeral. 

Bru. You shall, Mark Antony. 

Cas. Brutus, a word with you. — 

[^Aside to Brutus.] You know not what you do; do 

not consent 
That Antony speak in his funeral : 
Know you how much the people may be moved 
By that which he will utter ? 

Bru. By your pardon ; — 

I will myself into the pulpit first, 
And show the reason of our Caesar's death : 
What Antony shall speak, I will protest 
240 He speaks by leave and by permission ; 
And that we are contented Caesar shall 
Have all true rites and lawful ceremonies. 
It shall advantage more than do us wrong. 

Cas. I know not what may fall ; I like it not. 

B7'u. Mark Antony, here, take you Caesar's body. 
You shall not in your funeral speech blame us, 



Scene 1] JULIUS CESAR 115 

But speak all good you can devise of Caesar ; 

And say yon do't by our permission ; 

Else shall you not have any hand at all 

About his funeral : and you shall speak 250 

In the same pulpit whereto I am going, 

After my speech is ended. 

A nt. Be it so ; 

I do desire no more. 

Bru. Prepare the body then, and follow us. 

[Exeunt all hut Antony. 

Ant. O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth, 
That I am meek and gentle with these butchers ! 
Thou art the ruins of the noblest man 
That ever lived in the tide of times. 
Woe to the hands that shed this costly blood ! 
Over thy wounds now do I prophesy, — 260 

Which, like dumb mouths, do ope their ruby lips 
To beg the voice and utterance of my tongue, — 
A curse shall light upon the limbs of men ; 
Domestic fury and fierce civil strife 
Shall cumber all the parts of Italy : 
Blood and destruction shall be so in use. 
And dreadful objects so familiar. 
That mothers shall but smile when they behold 
Their infants quartered with the hands of war ; 



116 JULIUS CJESAR [Act III 

270 All pity choked -with custom of fell deeds : 
And Caesar's spirit, ranging for revenge, 
With Ate by his side, come hot from hell, 
Shall in these confines with a monarch's voice 
Cry " Havoc," and let slip the dogs of war ; 
That this foul deed shall smell above the earth 

With carrion men, groaning for burial. || 

•J 

Enter a Servant 

You serve Octavius Caesar, do you not ? 

Serv. I do, Mark Antony. 

Ant. Csesar did write for him to come to Rome. 
280 Serv. He did receive his letters, and is coming : 
And bid me say to you by word of mouth, — 
O Caesar ! \_Seeing the body. 

Ant. Thy heart is big ; get thee apart and weep. 
Passion, I see, is catching ; for mine eyes, 
Seeing those beads of sorrow stand in thine. 
Begin to water. Is thy master coming ? 

Serv. He lies to-night within seven leagues of Rome. 

Ant. Post back with speed, and tell him what hath 
chanced : 
Here is a mourning Rome, a dangerous Rome, 
290 No Rome of safety for Octavius yet ; 

Hie hence, and tell him so. Yet, stay awhile ; 



Scene 2J JULIUS C^SAR 117 

Thou shalt not back till I have borne this corse 

Into the market-place : there shall I try, 

In my oration, how the people take 

The cruel issue of these bloody men ; 

According to the which thou shalt discourse 

To young Octavius of the state of things. 

Lend me your hand. \_Exeunt, with Cesar's body. 



Scene II 

The same. The Forum 

Enter Brutus and Cassius and a throng of Citizens 

-■^Cit. We will be satisfied ; let us be satisfied. 
Bru. Then follow me, and give me audience, 
friends. — 
Cassius, go you into the other street. 
And part the numbers. — 

Those that will hear me speak, let them stay here; 
Those that will follow Cassius, go with him ; 
And public reasons shall be rendered 
Of Csesar^s death. 
SL Cit. I will hear Brutus speak. 

2 Cit. I will hear Cassius ; and compare their 
reasons, 



118 JULIUS C^SAR [Act III 

10 When severally we hear them rendered. ' 

[Exit Cassius with some of the Citizens. Brutus 
goes into the Rostrum. 

3 Cit. The noble Brutus is ascended : silence ! 
Bru. Be patient till the last, 
"^^omans, countrymen, and lovers ! hear me for my 
cause ; and be silent that you may hear : believe me 
for mine honor : and have respect to mine honor that 
you may believe : censure me in your wisdom ; and 
awake your senses that you may the better judge. If 
there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of .1 
Caesar's, to him I say that Brutus' love to Csesar was 

20 no less than his. If, then, that friend demand why 
Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer, — Not 
that I loved Csesar less, but that I loved Rome more. 
Had you rather Caesar were living, and die all slaves, 
than that Caesar were dead, to live all free men ? As 
Caesar loved me, I weep for him ; as he was fortunate, 
I rejoice at it ; as he was valiant, I honor him : but 
as he was ambitious, I slew him. There is tears for 
his love ; joy for his fortune ; honor for his valor ; and 
death for his ambition. \ Who is here so base that 

50 would be a bondman? If any, speak; for him have I 
offended. Who is here so rude that would not be a 
Roman? If any, speak; for him have I offended. 



Scene 2] 



JULIUS GJESAR H^ 



Who is here so vile that will not love his country ? If 
any, speak ; for him have I offended. I pause for a 

reply. 

Citizens. !N"one, Brutus, none. 

Bru. Then none have I offended. I have done no 
more to C^sar than you shall do to Brutus. The 
question of his death is enrolled in the Capitol; his 
glory not extenuated, wherein he was worthy; nor 40 
his offences enforced, for which he suffered death. 

Enter Antony and others, with Cesar's lody 

Here comes his body, mourned by Mark Antony: 
who, though he had no hand in his death, shall 
receive the benefit of his dying, a place in the com- 
monwealth : as which of you shall not ? With this 
I depart : that, as I slew my best lover for the good 
of Rome, I have the same dagger for myself, when it 
shall please my country to need my death. 

Citizens. Live, Brutus, live ! live ! 
^ 1 Cit. Bring him with triumph home unto his 
house. ^^ 

2 Cit. Give him a statue with his ancestors. 

.S Cit. Let him be Csesar; 

4 (jit^ Csesar's better parts 

Shall now be crowned m Brutus. 



120 JULIUS C^SAR [Act III 

1 Cit. We'll bring him to his house with shouts 
and clamors. 

Bru. My countrymen, — 

2 Cit. Peace; silence! Brutus speaks. 
1 Cit. Peace, ho ! 

Bru. Good countrymen, let me depart alone, 
And, for my sake, stay here with Antony : 
Do grace to Caesar's corpse, and grace his speech 
60 Tending to Caesar's glories; which Mark Antony, 
By our permission, is allowed to make. 
I do entreat you, not a man depart. 
Save I alone, till Antony have spoke. [^Exit. 

1 Cit. Stay, ho ! and let us hear Mark Antony. 

3 Cit. Let him go up into the public chair ; 
We'll hear him. Noble Antony, go up. 

Ant. For Brutus' sake I am beholding to you. 

4 Cit. What does he say of Brutus ? 

3 Cit. He says, for Brutus' sake 
He finds himself beholding to us all. 

4 Cit. 'Twere best he speak no harm of Brutus 
70 here. 

1 Cit. This Caesar was a tyrant. 

3 Cit. Nay, that's certain : 

We are blessed that Rome is rid of him. 

2 Cit. Peace ; let us hear what Antony can say. 



Scene 2] JULIUS C^SAE 121 

Ant. You gentle Romans — 

Citizens. Peace, ho ! let ns hear him. 

Ant. Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your 
ears; 
I come to bury Ceesar, not to praise him. 
The evil that men do lives after them ; 
The good is of t interred with their bones ; 
So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus 
Hath told you Caesar was ambitious : 80 

If it were so, it was a grievous fault ; 
And grievously hath Caesar answered it. 
Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest, — 
For Brutus is an honorable man ; 
So are they all, all honorable men ; — 
Come I to speak in Ca3sar's funeral. 
He was my friend, faithful and just to me : 
But Brutus says he was ambitious ; 

And Brutus is an honorable man. ^ 

He hath brought many captives home to Rome, 90 

Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill 
Did this in Caesar seem ambitious ? 
When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept : 
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff : 
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious ; 
And Brutus is an honorable man. 



122 JULIUS C^SAR [Act III 

You all did see that on the Lupercal 
I thrice presented him a kingly crown, 
Which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition ? 
100 Yet Brutus says he was ambitious ; 
And, sure, he is an honorable man. 
I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke, 
But here I am to speak what I do know. 
You did all love him once, not without cause ; 
What cause withholds you, then, to mourn for him ? 

judgment, thou art fled to brutish beasts. 

And men have lost their reason ! — Bear with me; 
My heart is in the coffin there with Csesar, 
And I must pause till it come back to me. 

1 Cit. Methinks there is much reason in his 
110 sayings. 

2 ■ Cit. If thou consider rightly of the matter, 
Csesar has had great wrong. 

3 Cit. Has he, masters? 

1 fear there will a worse come in his place. 

4 Cit. Marked ye his words ? He would not take 
the crown ; 
Therefore, 'tis certain he was not ambitious. 

1 Cit. If it be found so, some will dear abide it, 

2 Cit. Poor soul ! his eyes are red as fire with 
weeping. 



Scene 2] JULIUS C^SAB 123 

3 Cit. There's not a nobler man in Rome than 
Antony. 

4 Cit. Now mark him, he begins again to speak. 
Ant. But yesterday the word of Csesar might 

Have stood against the world : now lies he there, 
And none so poor to do him reverence. 

masters ! if I were disposed to stir 
Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage, 

1 should do Brutus wrong, and Cassius wrong, 
Who, you all know, are honorable men : 

I will not do them wrong ; I rather choose 

To wrong the dead, to wrong myself and you, 

Than I will wrong such honorable men. 

But here's a parchment with the seal of Caesar, 

I found it in his closet, 'tis his will : 

Let but the commons hear this testament, — 

Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read, — 

And they would go and kiss dead Caesar's wounds. 

And dip their napkins in his sacred blood ; 

Yea, beg a hair of him for memory. 

And, dying, mention it within their wills, 

Bequeathing it, as a rich legacy, 

Unto their issue. 

4 Cit. We'll hear the will : read it, Mark Antony. 

Citizens. The will, the will ! we will hear Caesar's will. 



124 JULIUS C^SAR [Act III 

Ant. Have patience, gentle friends, I must not 
read it; 
It is not. meet you know how Caesar loved you. 
You are not wood, you are not stones, but men ; 
And, being men, hearing the will of Caesar 
It will inflame you, it will make you mad. 
'Tis good you know not that you are his heirs ; 
For if you should, O, what would come of it ! 

4 Cit. Read the will ; we'll hear it, Antony ; 
150 You shall read us the will ; Caesar's will. 

Ant. Will you be patient? will you stay awhile? 
I have o'ershot myself to tell you of it. 
I fear I wrong the honorable men 
Whose daggers have stabbed Caesar : I do fear it. 

4 Cit. They were traitors : honorable men! 

Citizens. The will ! the testament ! 

2 Cit. They were villains, murderers : the will ! 
read the will ! 

Ant. You will compel me, then, to read the will ? 
Then make a ring about the corpse of Caesar, 
160 And let me show you him that made the will. 
Shall I descend ? And will you give me leave? 

Citizens. Come down. 

2 Cit. Descend. [He comes down. 

3 Cit. You shall have leave. 



Scene 2] JULIUS C^SAR 125 

4 Cit. A ring ; stand round. 

1 Cit. Stand from the hearse, stand from the body. 

2 Cit. Room for Antony ; — most noble Antony. 
Ant. Nay, press not so upon me ; stand far off. 
Citizens. Stand back ! room ! bear back ! 

Ant. K you have tears, prepare to shed them now. 170 
You all do know this mantle : I remember 
The first time ever Csesar put it on ; 
'Twas on a summer's evening, in his tent ; 
That day he overcame the Nervii : — 
Look ! in this place ran Cassius' dagger through : 
See what a rent the envious Casca made : 
Through this the well-beloved Brutus stabbed ; 
And, as he plucked his cursed steel away, 
Mark how the blood of Caesar followed it, 
As rushing out of doors to be resolved 180 

If Brutus so unkindly knocked, or no ; 
For Brutus, as you know, was Caesar's angel : 
Judge, O you gods, how dearly Caesar loved him I 
This was the most unkindest cut of all : 
For, when the noble Caesar saw him stab, 
Ingratitude, more strong than traitors' arms. 
Quite vanquished him : then burst his mighty heart ; 
And, in his mantle muffling up his face, 
Even at the base of Pompey's statua, 



126 JULIUS CyESAR [Act UI 

190 Which all the while ran blood, great Csesar fell. 
O, what a fall w^as there, my countrymen ! 
Then I and you and all of us fell down, 
Whilst bloody treason flourished over us. 
O, now you weep ; and, I perceive, you feel 
The dint of pity: these are gracious drops. 
Kind souls, what, weep you, when you but behold 
Our Csesar's vesture wounded ? Look you here, 
Here is himself, marred, as you see, with traitors. 
1 Cit. O piteous spectacle ! 

200 2 Cit. O noble Csesar ! 

3 CiL O woeful day ! 

4 CiL O traitors, villains ! 

1 Cit. O most bloody sight ! 

2 Cit. We'll be revenged. 

Citizens. Revenge ! about ! — seek ! — burn ! — fire I 
— kill ! — slay ! — let not a traitor live ! 
Ant. Stay, countrymen. 

1 Cit. Peace there : — hear the noble Antony. 

2 Cit. We'll hear him, we'll follow him, we'll die 
with him. 

Ant. Good friends, sweet friends, let me not stir 
210 you up 

To such a sudden flood of mutiny. 

They that have done this deed are honorable ; 



Scene 2] JULIUS CJESAR 127 

What private griefs they have, alas ! I know not, 

That made them do it ; they are wise and honorable ; 

And will, no doubt, with reasons answer you. 

I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts ; 

I am no orator, as Brutus is ; 

But as you know me all, a plain, blunt man, 

That love my friend ; and that they know full well 

That gave me public leave to speak of him. 220 

For I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth, 

Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech. 

To stir men's blood : I only speak right on ; 

I tell you that which you yourselves do know ; 

Show you sweet Caesar's w^ounds, poor, poor dumb 

mouths, 
And bid them speak for me : but, were I Brutus, 
And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony 
"Would ruffle up your spirits, and put a tongue 
In every wound of Caesar that should move 
The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny. 230 

Citizens. "We'll mutiny ! 

1 Cit. We'll burn the house of Brutus ! 

3 Cit. Away, then ; come, seek the conspirators ! 

Ant. Yet hear me, countrymen ; yet hear me speak. 

Citizens. Peace, ho ! Hear Antony, most noble 
Antony. 



128 JULIUS CyESAE [Act III 

Ant. Why, friends, you go to do you know not 
what : 
Wherein hath Csesar thus deserved your loves ? 
Alas, you know not — I must tell you, then : — 
You have forgot the will I told you of. 

Citizens. Most true ; the will ! — let's stay, and hear 
240 the will. 

Ant. Here is the will, and under Csssar's seal, 
To every Roman citizen he gives. 
To every several man, seventy-five drachmas. 

2 Cit. Most noble Caesar! — we'll revenge his 
death. 

3 Cit. O royal Csesar ! 

Ant. Hear me with patience. 

Citizens. Peace, ho ! 

Ant. Moreover, he hath left you all his walks, 
His private arbors, and new-planted orchards, 
250 On this side Tiber ; he hath left them you, 
And to your heirs forever ; common pleasures. 
To walk abroad, and recreate yourselves. 
Here was a Csesar ! When comes such another ? 

1 Cit. Never, never ! — Come, away, away ! 
We'll burn his body in the holy place. 
And with the brands fire the traitors' houses. 
Take up the body. 



Scene 3] JULIUS CJSSAR 129 

2 Cit Go, fetch fire. 

3 Cit. Pluck down benches. 

4 Cit. Pluck down forms, windows, anything. 260 

\_Exeunt Citizens, with the body. 
Ant. Now let it work ! Mischief, thou art afoot. 
Take thou what course thou wilt ! — 

Enter a Servant 

How now, fellow ? 
Serv. Sir, Octavius is already come to Rome. 
Ant. Where is he? 

Serv. He and Lepidus are at Caesar's house. 
Ant. And thither will I straight to visit him: 
He comes upon a wish. Fortune is merry, 
And in this mood will give us anything. 

Serv. I heard him say, Brutus and Cassius 
Are rid like madmen through the gates of Rome. 270 

Ant. Belike they had some notice of the people. 
How I had moved them. Bring me to Octavius. 

[Exeunt. 
Scene HI 

The same. A Street 
Enter Cinna, the Poet 

Cin. I dreamt to-night that I did feast with Csesar, 
And things unlucky charge my fantasy : 



130 JULIUS C^SAR [Act HI 

I have no will to wander forth of doors, 
Yet something leads me forth. 

Enter Citizen 

1 Cit. What is your name ? 

2 Cit. Whither are you going ? 

3 Cit. Where do you dwell ? 

4 Cit. Are you a married man or a bachelor ? 

2 Cit. Answer every man directly. 
10 1 Cit. Ay, and briefly. 

4 Cit. Ay, and wisely. 

3 Cit. Ay, and truly, you were best. 

Cin. What is my name? Whither am I going? 
Where do I dwell ? Am I a married man or a bache- 
lor ? Then, to answer every man directly and briefly, 
wisely and truly ; wisely, I say I am a bachelor. 

2 Cit. That's as much as to say they are fools that 
marry : you'll bear me a bang for that, I fear. Pro- 
ceed; directly. 
20 Cin. Directly, I am going to Csesar's funeral. 

1 Cit. As a friend or an enemy? 
Cin. As a friend. 

2 Cit. That matter is answered directly. 

4 Cit. For your dwelling, — briefly. 
Cin. Briefly, I dwell by the Capitol. 



Scene 3] JULIUS C^SAR 131 

3 Cit. Your name, sir, truly. 
Cin. Truly, my name is Cinna. 

1 Cit. Tear him to pieces, he's a conspirator. 
Cin. I am Cinna the poet, I am Cinna the poet. 

4 Cit. Tear him for his bad verses, tear him for his 30 
bad verses. 

Cin, I am not Cinna the conspirator. 

2 Cit. It is no matter, his name's Cinna; pluck but 
his name out of his heart, and turn him going. 

3 Cit. Tear him, tear him! Come, brands, hoi 
firebrands. To Brutus', to Cassius', burn all. Some 
to Decius* house, and some to Casca's ; some to Liga- 
rius'; away; goi [Exeunt, 



132 JULIUS C^SAR [Act IV 



n ACT IV 

Scene I 

A Room in Antony's House 

Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus, seated at a table 

Ant. These many, then, shall die; their names are 

pricked. 
. Oct. Your brother too must die : consent you, 

Lepidus ? 
Lep. I do consent — 

Oct. Prick him down, Antony. 

Lep. . Upon condition Publius shall not live, 
Who is your sister's son, Mark Antony. 
Ant. He shall not live: look, with a spot I damn 
him. 
But, Lepidus, go you to Caesar's house ; 
Fetch the will hither, and we shall determine 
How to cut off some charge in legacies. 
10 Lep. What, shall I find you here ? 

Oct. Or here or at the Capitol. \_Exit Lepidus. 



Scene 1] JULIUS CAESAR ' 133 

Ant. This is a slight, unmeritable man, 
Meet to be sent on errands : is it fit, 
The three-fold world divided, he should stand 
One of the three to share it ? 

OcL So yon thought him; 

And took his voice who should be pricked to die, 
In our black sentence and proscription. 

Ant. Octavius, I have seen more days than you: 
And, though we lay these honors on this man, 
To ease ourselves of divers slanderous loads, ; 

He shall but bear them as the ass bears gold. 
To groan and sweat under the business. 
Either led or driven, as we point the way ; 
And, having brought our treasure where we will. 
Then take we down his load, and turn him off, 
Like to the empty ass, to shake his ears, 
And graze in commons. 

Oct. You may do your will ; 

But he's a tried and valiant soldier. 

A nt. So is my horse, Octavius ; and for that 
I do appoint him store of provender. ; 

It is a creature that I teach to fight. 
To wind, to stop, to run directly on, 
His corporal motion governed by my spirit. 
And, in some taste, is Lepidus but so ; 



134 JULIUS C^SAR [Act IV 

He must be taught and trained and bid go forth : 

A barren-spirited fellow ; one that feeds 

On abject orts and imitations, 

Which, out of use and staled by other men, 

Begin his fashion : do not talk of him 

40 But as a property. And now, Octavius, 
Listeji great things. — Brutus and Cassius 
Are levying powers ; we must straight make head : 
Therefore, let our alliance be combined, 
Our best friends made, our means stretched out ; 
And let us presently go sit in council. 
How covert matters may be best disclosed, 
And opeij perils surest answered. 

Oct. Let us do so ; for we are at the stake. 
And bayed about with many enemies ; 

50 And some that smile have in their hearts, I fear. 
Millions of mischief. [Exeunt. 

Scene II 

J5e/bre Brutus' Tent, in the Camp near Sardis 

Drum. Enter Brutus, Lucilius, Lucius, and Sol- 
diers : TiTiNius and Pindarus meeting them 

Bru. Stand, ho ! 

Luc. Give the word, ho ! and stand. 

Bru. What now, Lucilius! is Cassius near? 



Scene 2] JULIUS CJESAR 135 

Luc. He is at hand ; and Pindarus is come 
To do you salutation from his master. 

[Pindarus gives a letter to Brutus... 

Bru. He greets me well. — Your master, Pindarus,. 
In his own change, or by ill officers, 
Hath given me some worthy cause to wish 
Things done, undone : but, if he be at hand, 
I shall be satisfied. 

Pin. I do not doubt 

But that my noble master will appear 
Such as he is, full of regard and honor. 

Bru. He is not doubted. — A word, Lucilius ; 
How he received you, let me be resolved. 

Luc. With courtesy, and with respect enough ; 
But not with such familiar instances, 
Nor with such free and friendly conference, 
As he hath used of old. 

Bru. Thou hast described 

A hot friend cooling : ever note, Lucilius, 
When love begins to sicken and decay, 
It useth an enforced ceremony. 
There are no tricks in plain and simple faith : 
But hollow men, like horses hot at hand. 
Make gallant show and promise of their mettle : 
But, when they should endure the bloody spur. 



136 JULIUS C^SAR [Act IV 

They fall their crests, and, like deceitful jades, 
Sink in the trial. Comes his army on ? 

Luc, They mean this night in Sardis to be 
quartered ; 
The greater part, the horse in general, 
Are come with Cassias. \_March within. 

Bru. Hark, he is arrived : — 

March gently on to meet him. 

Enter Cassius and Soldiers 

Cas. Stand, ho ! 

Bru. Stand, ho ! Speak the word along. 

Within. Stand ! 

Within. Stand ! 

Within. Stand ! 

Cas. Most noble brother, you have done me wrong. 

Bru. Judge me, you gods ! Wrong I mine enemies? 
And, if not so, how should I wrong a brother ? 

Cas. Brutus, this sober form of yours hides wrongs ; 
And when you do them — 

Bru. Cassius, be content ; 

Speak your griefs softly, — I do know you well : — 
Before the eyes of both our armies here, 
Which should perceive nothing but love from us, 
Let us not wrangle : bid them move away ; 



Scene 3] JULIUS C^SAR 1^7 

Then in my tent, Cassius, enlarge your griefs, 
And I will give you audience. 

Ca&. Pindarus, 

Bid our commanders lead their charges off 
A little from this ground. 

Bru. Lucius, do you the like ; and let no man ^ 

Come to our tent, tUl we have done our conference. 
Lucilius and Titinius, guard our door. [Exeunt, 



Scene III 

Within the Tent of Brutus 

Enter Brutus and Cassius 

Cas. That you have wronged me doth appear in 
this : 
You have condemned and noted Lucius Pella 
For taking bribes here of the Sardians ; 
Wherein my letters, praying on his side. 
Because I knew the man, were slighted off. 

Bru. You wronged yourself to write in such a case. 

Cas. In such a time as this, it is not meet 
That every nice offence should bear his comment. 

Bru. Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself 
Are much condemned to have an itching palm. 10 



138 JULIUS C^SAR [Act IV 

To sell and mart your offices for gold 
To undeservers. 

Cas. I an itching palm ? 

You know that you are Brutus that speak this, 
Or, by the gods, this speech were else your last. 

Bru. The name of Cassius honors this corruption, 
And chastisement doth therefore hide his head. 

Cas. Chastisement ! 

Bru. Remember March, the ides of March remem- 
ber! 
Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake ? 
20 What villain touched his body, that did stab. 
And not for justice? What, shall one of us, 
That struck the foremost man of all this world 
But for supporting robbers, — shall we now 
Contaminate our fingers with base bribes. 
And sell the mighty space of our large honors 
For so much trash as may be grasped thus ? 
I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon. 
Than such a Roman. 

Cas. Brutus, bay not me ; 

I'll not endure it : you forget yourself, 
30 To hedge me in ; I am a soldier, ay, 
Older in practice, abler than yourself 
To make conditions. 



Scene 3] JULIUS CjESAR 139 

Bru. Go to ; you are not, Cassius. 

Cas. I am. 

Bru. I say you are not. 

Cas. Urge me no more, I shall forget myself ; 
Have mind upon your health, tempt me no further. 

Bru. Away, slight man ! 

Cas. Is't possible ? 

Bru. Hear me, for I will speak. 

Must I give way and room to your rash choler ? 
Shall I be frighted when a madman stares ? 40 

Cas. O ye gods ! ye gods ! Must I endure all this ? 

Bru. All this ? ay, more : fret, till your proud heart 
break ; 
Go, show your slaves how choleric you are, 
And make your bondmen tremble. Must I budge ? 
Must I observe you ? Must I stand and crouch 
Under your testy humor ? By the gods. 
You shall digest the venom of your spleen. 
Though it do split you ! for, from this day forth, 
I'll use you for my mirth, yea, for my laughter, 
When you are waspish. 

Cas. Is it come to this ? 50 

Bru. You say you are a better soldier : 
Let it appear so ; make your vaunting true. 
And it shall please me well : for mine own part, 



140 JULIUS CAESAR [Act IV 

I shall be glad to learn of noble men. 

Cas. You wrong me every way; you wrong me, 
Brutus ; 
I said an elder soldier, not a better : 
Did I say better ? 

Bru. If you did, I care not. 

Cas. When Caesar lived, he durst not thus have 
moved me. 

Bru. Peace, peace ! you durst not so have tempted 
him. 
60 Cas. I durst not? 

Bru. No. 

Cas. What ? durst not tempt him ? 

Bru. For your life you durst not. 

Cas. Do not presume too much upon my love ; 
I may do that I shall be sorry for. 

Bru. You have done that you should be sorry for. 
There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats : 
For I am armed so strong in honesty 
That they pass by me as the idle wind. 
Which I respect not. I did send to you 
70 For certain sums of gold, which you denied me ; — 
For I can raise no money by vile means : 
By heaven, I had rather coin my heart. 
And drop my blood for drachmas, than to wring 



Scene 3] JULIUS CAESAR 141 

From the hard hands of peasants their vile trash 

By any indirection ! I did send 

To you for gold to pay my legions, 

Which you denied me : was that done like Cassius ? 

Should I have answered Caius Cassius so ? 

When Marcus Brutus grows so covetous, 

To lock such rascal counters from his friends, 

Be ready, gods, with all your thunderbolts, 

Dash him to pieces ! 

Cas. I denied you not. 

Bru. You did. 

Cas. I did not ; he was but a fool 

That brought my answer back. — Brutus hath rived 

my heart : 
A friend should bear his friend's infirmities. 
But Brutus makes mine greater than they are. 

Bru. I do not, till you practice them on me. 

Cas. You love me not. 

Bru. I do not like your faults. 

Cas. A friendly eye could never see such faults. 

Bru. A flatterer's would not, though they do appear 90 
As huge as high Olympus. 

Cas. Come, Antony, and young Octavius, come. 
Revenge yourselves alone on Cassius, 
For Cassius is a-weary of the world : 



142 JULIUS C^SAR [Act IV 

Hated by one he loves ; braved by his brother ; 
Checked like a bondman ; all his faults observed, 
Set in a note-book, learned and conned by rote, 
To cast into my teeth. O, I could weep 
My spirit from mine eyes ! — There is my dagger 
100 And here my naked breast ; within, a heart 
Dearer than Plutus' mine ; richer than gold : 
If that thou be'st a Roman, take it forth ; 
I, that denied thee gold, will give my heart : 
Strike as thou didst at Caesar ; for I know. 
When thou didst hate him worst, thou lov'dst him 

' better 
Than ever thou lov^dst Cassius. 

Bru. Sheathe your dagger : 

Be angry when you will, it shall have scope ; 
Do what you will, dishonor shall be humor. 
O Cassius, you are yoked with a lamb 
110 That carries anger as the flint bears fire ; 
Who, much enforced, shows a hasty spark, 
And straight is cold again. 

Cas. Hath Cassius lived 

To be but mirth and laughter to his Brutus, 
When grief and blood ill-tempered vexeth him ? 

Bru. When I spoke that, I was ill-tempered too. 

Cas. Do you confess so much? Give me your hand. 



Scene 3] JULIUS C^SAR 143 

Bru. And my heart too. 

Cas. O Brutus ! — 

Bru. What's the matter ? 

Cas. Have you not love enough to bear with me, 
-When that rash humor which my mother gave me 
Makes me forgetful ? 

Bru. Yes, Cassius ; and, from henceforth, 120 

When you are over-earnest with your Brutus, 
He'll think your mother chides, and leave you so. 

\_Noise within. 

Poet. \_Within.'\ Let me go in to see the generals ; 
There is some grudge between them, 'tis not meet 
They be alone. 

Lucil. [Within.'] You shall not come to them. 

Poet. [Within.'] Nothing but death shall stay me. 

Enter Poet, followed by Lucilius, Titinius, and 
Lucius 

Cas. How now ! What's the matter? 

Poet. For shame, you generals : what do you mean? 
Love and be friends, as two such men should be ; 
For I have seen more years, I'm sure, than ye. 130 

Cas. Ha, ha ! how vilely doth this cynic rhyme ! 

Bru. Get you hence, sirrah ; saucy fellow, hence I 

Cas. Bear with him, Brutus ; 'tis his fashion. 



144 JULIUS CyESAR [Act IV 

Bru. I'll know his humor, when he knows his time : 
What should the wars do with these jigging fools ? 
Companion, hence ! 

Cas. Away, away, be gone ! [_Exit Poet. 

Bru. Lucilius and Titinius, bid the commanders 
Prepare to lodge their companies to-night. 

Cas. And come yourselves, and bring Messala with 
you, 
140 Immediately to us. ^Exeunt Lucilius and Titinius. 

Bru. Lucius, a bowl of wine. l_Exit Lucius. 

Cas. 1 did not think you could have been so angry, 

Bru. O Cassius, I am sick of many griefs. 

Cas. Of your philosophy you make no use, 
If you give place to accidental evils. 

Bru. No man bears sorrow better : — Portia is dead, 

Cas. Ha ! Portia ! 

Bru. She is dead. 

Cas. How 'scaped I killing when I crossed you so ? — 
150 O insupportable and touching loss ! — 
Upon what sickness ? 

Bi'u. Impatient upon my absence. 

And grief that young Octavius with Mark Antony 
Have made themselves so strong ; — for with her death 
That tidings came ; — with this she fell distract. 
And, her attendants absent, swallowed fire. 



Scene 3] JULIUS C^SAR 145 

Cas. And died so ? 

Bru. Even so. 

Cas. O ye immortal Gods ! 

Reenter Lucius, with wine and tapers 

Bru. Speak no more of her. — Give me a bowl of 
■wine : — 
In this I bury all unkindness, Cassius. \Drinks. 

Cas. My heart is thirsty for that noble pledge : — 160 
Fill, Lucius, till the wine o'erswell the cup ; 
I cannot drink too much of Brutus' love. [Drinks. 

Reenter Titinius and Messala 

Bru. Come in, Titinius. — Welcome, good Mes- 
sala. — 
Now sit we close about this taper here. 
And call in question our necessities. 

Cas. Portia, art thou gone ? 

Bru. No more, I ^i^^y you. — 

Messala, I have here received letters. 
That young Octavius and Mark Antony 
Come down upon us with a mighty power, 
Bending their expedition toward Philippi. 170 

Mes. Myself have letters of the self -same tenor. 

Bru. With what addition ? 



146 JULIUS C^SAR [Act IV 

Mes. That by proscription, and bills of outlawry, 
Octavius, Antony, and Lepidiis 
Have put to death an hundred senators. 

Bru. Therein our letters do not well agree ; 
Mine speak of seventy senators that died 
By their proscriptions, Cicero being one. 

Cas. Cicero one ? 

Mes. Cicero is dead, 

180 And by that order of proscription. — 

Had you your letters from your wife, my lord ? 

Bru. No, Messala. 

Mes. Nor nothing in your letters writ of her ? 

Bru. Nothing, Messala. 

Mes. That, methinks, is strange. 

Bru. Why ask you? Hear you aught of her in 
yours ? 

Mes. No, my lord. 

Bru. Now, as you are a Roman, tell me true. 

Mes. Then like a Roman bear the truth I tell : 
For certain she is dead, and by strange manner. 

Bru. Why, farewell, Portia. — We must die, Mes- 
190 sala : 

With meditating that she must die once, 
I have the patience to endure it now. 

Mes. Even so great men great losses should endure. 



Scene 3] JULIUS C^SAR 147 

Cas. I have as much of this in art as you, 
But yet my nature could not bear it so. 

Bru. Well, to our work alive. What do you 
think; 
Of marching to Philippi presently? 

Cas. I do not think it good. 

Bru. Your reason ? 

Cas. This it is : 

'Tis better that the enemy seek us : 

So shall he waste his means, weary his soldiers, 200 

Doing himself offence ; whilst we, lying still, 
Are full of rest, defence, and nimbleness. 

Bru. Good reasons must, of force, give place to 
better. 
The people 'twixt Philippi and this ground 
Do stand but in a forced affection : 
For they have grudged us contribution : 
The enemy, marching along by them. 
By them shall make a fuller number up. 
Come on refreshed, new-aided, and encouraged ; 
From which advantage shall we cut him oif, 210 

If at Philippi we do face him there. 
These people at our back. 

Cas. Hear me, good brother. 

Bru. Under your pardon. — You must note beside, 



148 JULIUS C^SAR [Act IV 

That we have tried the utmost of our friends, 
Our legions are brim-full, our cause is ripe : 
The enemy increaseth every day, 
We, at the height, are ready to decline. 
. There is a tide in the affairs of men, 

Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune ; 
220 Omitted, all the voyage of their life 
f Is bound in shallows and in miseries. 
On such a full sea are we now afloat ; 
And we must take the current when it serves, 
Or lose our ventures. 

Cas. Then, with your will, go on : 

We will along ourselves, and meet them at Philippi. 

Bru. The deep of night is crept upon our talk. 
And nature must obey necessity ; 
Which we will niggard with a little rest. 
There is no more to say ? 

Cas. No more. Good night ; 

230 Early to-morrow will we rise, and hence. 

Bru. Lucius, my gown. Farewell, good Messala ; — 

[Exit Lucius. 
Good night, Titinius. — Noble, noble Cassius, 
Good night, and good repose. 

Cas. O my dear brother ! 

This was an ill beginning of the night : 



Scene 3] JULIUS C^SAR 149 

jN"ever come such division 'tween our souls I 
Let it not, Brutus. 

Bru, Everything is well. 

Cas. Good night, my lord. 

Bru. Good night, good brother. 

Tit, Mes. Good night, lord Brutus. 

Bru. Farewell, every one. 

\_Exeunt Cassius, Titinius, and Messala. 

Reenter Lucius, with the gown 

Give me the gown. Where is thy instrument ? 

Luc. Here in the tent. 

Bru. What ? thou speak'st drowsily : 240 

Poor knave, I blame thee not ; thou art o'erwatched. 
Call Claudius, and some other of my men : 
I'll have them sleep on cushions in my tent. 

Luc. Varro, and Claudius ! 

Enter Varro and Claudius 

Var. Calls my lord ? 

Bru. I pray you, sirs, lie in my tent and sleep ; 
It may be I shall raise you by and by 
On business to my brother Cassius. 

Var. So please you, we will stand, and watch your 
pleasure. 



150 JULIUS C^SAR [Act IV 

250 Bru. I will not have it so : lie down, good sirs ; 
It may be I shall otherwise bethink me. — 
Look, Lucius, here's the book I sought for so : 
I put it in the pocket of my gown. 

[Var. and Claud, lie down. 

Luc. I was sure your lordship did not give it me. 

Bru. Bear with me, good boy, I am much forgetful. 
Canst thou hold up thy heavy eyes awhile. 
And touch thy instrument a strain or two ? 

Luc. Ay, my lord, an't please you. 

Bru. It does, my boy : 

I trouble thee too much, but thou art willing. 
260 Luc. It is my duty, sir. 

Bru. I should not urge thy duty past thy might; 
. I know young bloods look for a time of rest. 

I^uc. I have slept, my lord, already. 

Bru. It was well done ; and thou shalt sleep again ; 
I will not hold thee long : if I do live, 
I will be good to thee. [Music and a Song. 

This is a sleepy tune : — murderous slumber ! 
Lay'st thou thy leaden mace upon my boy, 
That plays thee music? — Gentle knave, good night; 
270 1 will not do thee so much wrong to wake thee. 
If thou dost nod, thou break'st thy instrument ; 
I'll take it from thee ; and, good boy, good night. — 



Scene 3] JULIUS C^SAR 151 

Let rae see, let me see : — is not the leaf turned 

down 
Where I left reading ? Here it is, I think. 

[He sits down. 

Enter the Ghost of C^sar 

How ill this taper burns ! Ha ! who comes here ? 

I think it is the weakness of mine eyes 

That shapes this monstrous apparition. 

It comes upon me ! — Art thou anything ? 

Art thou some god, some angel, or some devil, 

That mak'st my blood cold, and my hair to stare ? 280 

Speak to me what thou art. 

Ghost. Thy evil spirit, Brutus. 

Bru. Why comest thou ? 

Ghost. To tell thee, thou shalt see me at Philippi, 

Bru. Well : then I shall see thee again ? 

Ghost. Ay, at Philippi. 

Bru. Why, I will see thee at Philippi, then. — 

[Ghost vanishes. 
Now I have taken heart thou vanishest : 
111 spirit, I would hold more talk with thee. — 
Boy ! Lucius ! — Varro ! Claudius ! Sirs, awake ! — 
Claudius ! 

Luc. The strings, my lord, are false. 



152 JULIUS C^SAR [Act IV 

290 Bru. He thinks he still is at his instrument. — 
Lucius, awake ! 
Luc. My lord? 
Bru. Didst thou dream, Lucius, that thou so criedst 

out? 
Luc. My lord, I do not know that I did cry. 
Bru. Yes, that thou didst : didst thou see any- 
thing? 
Luc. Nothing, my lord. 
Bru. Sleep again, Lucius. — Sirrah, Claudius! 

[To Varro. 
Fellow thou ! awake ! 
Var. My lord? 
300 Clau. My lord ? 

Bru. Why did you so cry out, sirs, in your sleep ? 
Var., Clau. Did we, my lord ? 

Bru. Ay; saw you anything? 

Var. No, my lord, I saw nothing. 
Clau. Nor I, my lord. 

Bru. Go, and commend me to my brother Cassius ; 
Bid him set on his powers betimes before, 
And we will follow. 

Var., Clau. It shall be done, my lord. 

[Exeunt, 



Act V] . JULIUS C^SAR 153 



ACT V 

Scene I 
The Plains of Philippi 

Enter Octavius, Antony, and their Army 

Oct. Now, Antony, our hopes are answered : 
You said the enemy would not come down, 
But keep the hill and upper regions ; 
It proves not so : their battles are at hand ; 
They mean to warn us at Philippi here, 
Answering before we do demand of them. 

Ant. Tut, I am in their bosoms, and I know 
Wherefore they do it : they could be content 
To visit other places ; and come down 
With fearful bravery, thinking, by this face, 10 

To fasten in our thoughts that they have courage ; 
But 'tis not so. 

Enter a Messenger 

Mess. Prepare you, generals : 

The enemy comes on in gallant show ; 
Their bloody sign of battle is hung out, 



154 JULIUS C^SAR [Act V 

And something to be done immediately. 

Ant. Octavius, lead your battle softly on, 
Upon the left hand of the even field. 

Oct. Upon the right hand I ; keep thou the left. 
Ant. Why do you cross me in this exigent ? 
20 Oct. I do not cross you; but I will do so. \_March. 

Drum. Enter Brutus, Cassius, and their Army; 
LuciLius, TiTiNius, Messala, and others 

Bru. They stand, and would have parley. 

Cas. Stand fast, Titinius : we must out and talk, 

Oct. Mark Antony, shall we give sign of battle ? 

Ant. No, Caesar, we will answer on their charge. 
Make forth ; the generals would have some words. 

Oct. Stir not until the signal. 

Bru. Words before blows : is it so, countrymen ? 

Oct. N'ot that we love words better, as you do. 

Bru. Good words are better than bad strokes, 
Octavius. 

Ant. In your bad strokes, Brutus, you give good 
30 words: 

Witness the hole you made in Caesar's heart. 
Crying, " Long live ! Hail Caesar ! " 

Cas. Antony, 

The posture of your blows are yet unknown ; 



Scene 1] JULIUS CyESAR 155 

But for your words, they rob the Hybla bees 
And leave them honeyless. 

Ant. N"ot stingless too. 

Bru. O, yes, and soundless too; 
For you have stolen their buzzing, Antony, 
And, very wisely, threat before you sting. 

Ant. Villains, you did not so, when your vile 
daggers 
Hacked one another in the sides of Caesar : 40 

You showed your teeth like apes, and fawned like 

hounds. 
And bowed like bondmen, kissing Caesar's feet ; 
Whilst damned Casca, like a cur, behind, 
Struck Caesar on the neck. O flatterers ! 

Cas. Flatterers ! — Now, Brutus, thank yourself : 
This tongue had not offended so to-day. 
If Cassius might have ruled. 

Oct. Come, come, the cause : if arguing make us 
sweat. 
The proof of it will turn to redder drops. 
Look, — I draw a sword against conspirators : 60 

When think you that the sword goes up again ? — 
Never, till Caesar's three-and-thirty wounds 
Be well avenged ; or till another Caesar 
Have added slaughter to the sword of traitors. 



156 JULIUS C^SAR [Act V 

Bru. Caesar, thou canst not die by traitors' hands, 
Unless thou bring'st them with thee. 

Oct So I hope ; 

I was not born to die on Brutus' sword. 

Bru. O, if thou wert the noblest of thy strain, 
Young man, thou couldst not die more honorable. 
60 Cas. A peevish school-boy, worthless of such honor, 
Joined with a masker and a reveller ! 

Ant. Old Cassius still ! 

Oct. Come, Antony; away. — 

Defiance, traitors, hurl we in your teeth : 
If you dare fight to-day, come to the field ; 
If not, when you have stomachs. 

[Exeunt Octavius, Antony, and their Army. 

Cas. Why now, blow, wind; swell, billow; and 
swim, bark ! 
The storm is up, and all is on the hazard. 

Bru. Ho ! Lucilius ; hark, a word with you. 

Lucil. My lord. 

[Brutus and Lucilius converse apart. 

Cas. Messala, — 

Mes. What says my general ? 

Cas. Messala, 

70 This is my birthday ; as this very day 

Was Cassius born. Give me thy hand, Messala 



Scene 1] JULIUS CJESAR 157 

Be thou my witness that against my will, 

As Pompey was, am I compelled to set 

Upon one battle all our liberties. 

You know that I held Epicurus strong 

And his opinion : now I change my mind, 

And partly credit things that do presage. 

Coming from Sardis, on our former ensign 

Two mighty eagles fell ; and there they perched, 

Gorging and feeding from our soldiers' hands ; 80 

Who to Philippi here consorted us ; 

This morning are they fled away, and gone ; 

And in their steads do ravens, crows, and kites 

Fly o'er our heads, and downward look on us. 

As we were sickly prey; their shadows seem 

A canopy most fatal, under which 

Our army lies, ready to give up the ghost. 

Mes. Believe not so. 

Cas. I but believe it partly ; 

For I am fresh of spirit, and resolved 
To meet all perils very constantly. 90 

Bru. Even so, Lucilius. [^Advancing, 

Cas. Now, most noble Brutus, 

The gods to-day stand friendly; that we may. 
Lovers in peace, lead on our days to age ! 
But, since the affairs of men rest still incertain. 



158 JULIUS C^SAR [Act V 

Let's reason with the worst that may befall. 

If we do lose this battle, then is this 

The very last time we shall speak together : 

What are you then determined to do ? 
Bru. Even by the rule of that philosophy 
100 By which I did blame Cato for the death 

Which he did give himself : — I know not how, 

But I do find it cowardly and vile, 

For fear of what might fall, so to prevent 

The time of life : — arming myself with patience, 

To stay the providence of some high powers. 

That govern us below. 

Cas. Then, if we lose this battle, 

Tou are contented to be led in triumph 

Through the streets of Rome ? 
Bru. No, Cassius, no: think not, thou noble 
Roman, 
110 That ever Brutus will go bound to Rome ; 

He bears too great a mind. But this same day 

Must end that work the ides of March begun ; 

And whether we shall meet again I know not. 

Therefore our everlasting farewell take : — 

For ever, and for ever, farewell, Cassius ! 

If we do meet again, why, we shall smile ; 

If not, why, then this parting was well made. 



Scene 2] JULIUS CJESAR 159 

Cas, For ever, and for ever, farewell, Brutus 
If we do meet again, we'll smile indeed ; 
If not, 'tis true this parting was well made. 120 

Bru. Why, then, lead on. — O, that a man might 

know 

The end of this day's business ere it come ! 

But it sufficeth that the day will end. 

And then the end is known. — Come, ho ! away ! 

[Exeunt. 
Scene II 

The same. The Field of Battle 

Alarum. Enter Brutus and Messala 

Bru. Ride, ride, Messala, ride, and give these bills 

Unto the legions on the other side : {Loud alarum. 

Let them set on at once ; for I perceive 

But cold demeanor in Octavius' wing, 

And sudden push gives them the overthrow. 

Ride, ride, Messala : let them all come down. 

[Exeunt. 
Scene III 

Another Part of the Field 

Alarum. Enter Cassius and Titinius 

Cas. O, look, Titinius, look, the villains fly ! 
Myself have to mine own turned enemy : 



160 JULIUS G^SAR [Act V 

This ensign here of mine was turning back ; 
I slew the coward, and did take it from him. 

Tit. O Cassius, Brutus gave the word too early : 
Who, having some advantage on Octavius, 
Took it too eagerly ; his soldiers fell to spoil, 
Whilst we by Antony are all enclosed. 

Enter Pindarus 

Pin. Fly further off, my lord, fly further off. 
10 Mark Antony is in your tents, my lord ! 
Fly therefore, noble Cassius, fly far off. 

Cas. This hill is far enough. Look, look, Titinius ; 
Are those my tents where I perceive the fire ? 
Tit. They are, my lord. 

Cas. Titinius, if thou lov'st me, 

Mount thou my horse, and hide thy spurs in him. 
Till he have brought thee up to yonder troops. 
And here again ; that I may rest assured 
Whether yond' troops are friend or enemy. 

Tit. I will be here again, even with a thought. 

[Exit. 
20 Cas. Go, Pindarus, get higher on that hill ; 
My sight was ever thick ; regard Titinius, 
And tell me what thou not'st about the field. — 

[Pindarus goes up. 



Scene 3] JULIUS C^SAB . 161 

This day I breathed first : time is come round, 

And where I did begin there shall I end ; 

My life is run his compass. — Sirrah, what news ? 

Pin. lAbove.'] O my lord I 

Cas. What news ? 

Pin. Titinius is enclosed round about 
With horsemen that make to him on the spur ; 
Yet he spurs on. — Now they are almost on him ; 30 

Now, Titinius! — Now some 'light: O, he 'lights 

too: — 
He's ta'en ; — [^Shout] and hark ! they shout for joy. 

Cas. Come down, behold no more. — 
O, coward that I am, to live so long, 
To see my best friend ta'en before my face ! 

Enter Pindarus 

Come hither, sirrah : 

In Parthia did I take thee prisoner ; 

And then I swore thee, saving of thy life, 

That whatsoever I did bid thee do 

Thou shouldst attempt it. Come now, keep thine oath ! 40 

Now be a freeman ; and, with this good sword, 

That ran through Caesar's bowels, search this bosom. 

Stand not to answer : here, take thou the hilts j 

And, when my face is covered, as 'tis now. 



162 • JULIUS C^SAR [Act V 

Guide thou the sword. — Caesar, thou art revenged, 
Even with the sword that killed thee. \_Dies. 

Pin. So, I am free ; yet would not so have been, 
Durst I have done my will. O Cassius ! 
Far from this country Pindarus shall run, 
50 Where never Roman shall take note of him. [Exit. 

Reenter Titinius, with Messala 

Mes. It is but change, Titinius ; for Octavius 
Is overthrown by noble Brutus' power, 
As Cassius' legions are by Antony. 

Tit. These tidings will well comfort Cassius. 

Mes. Where did you leave him? 

Tit. All disconsolate. 

With Pindarus his bondman, on this hill. 

Mes. Is not that he that lies upon the ground ? 

Tit. He lies not like the living. O my heart ! 

Mes. Is not that he ? 

Tit. ISTo, this was he, Messala, 

60 But Cassius is no more. — O setting sun ! 
As in thy red rays thou dost sink to-night 
So in his red blood Cassius' day is set ; 
The sun of Rome is set ! Our day is gone ; 
Clouds, dews, and dangers come ; our deeds are done I 
Mistrust of my success hath done this deed. 



Scene 3] JULIUS C^SAR 163 

Mes. Mistrust of good success hath done this deed. 
O hateful Error, Melancholy's child ! 
Why dost thou show to the apt thoughts of men 
The things that are not ? O Error, soon conceived, 
Thou never com'st unto a happy birth, 70 

But kill'st the mother that engendered thee. 

Tit. What, Pindarus ! Where art thou, Pindarus ? 

Mes. Seek him, Titinius : whilst I go to meet 
The noble Brutus, thrusting this report 
Into his ears : I may say, thrusting it ; 
For piercing steel, and darts envenomed, 
Shall be as welcome to the ears of Brutus 
As tidings of this sight. 

Tit. Hie you, Messala, 

And I will seek for Pindarus the while. 

[Exit Messala. 
Why didst thou send me forth, brave Cassius ? 80 

Did I not meet thy friends? and did not they 
Put on my brows this wreath of victory, 
And bid me give't thee? Didst thou not hear their 

shouts ? 
Alas, thou hast misconstrued everything. 
But hold thee, take this garland on thy brow; 
Thy Brutus bid me give it thee, and I 
Will do his bidding. — Brutus, come apace. 



164 JULIUS C^SAR [Act V 

And see how I regarded Caius Cassius. — 
By your leave, gods : — this is a Roman's part : 
90 Come, Cassius' sword, and find Titinius' heart. l_Dies. 

Alarum. Reenter Messala, with Brutus, young 
Cato, Strato, Volumnius, and Lucilius 

Bru. Where, where, Messala, doth his body lie ? 

Mes. Lo, yonder ; and Titinius mourning it. 

Bru. Titinius' face is upward. 

Cato. ' He is slain. 

Bru. O Julius Csesar, thou art mighty yet ! 
Thy spirit walks abroad, and turns our swords 
In our own proper entrails. [^Loiu alarums. 

Cato. Brave Titinius ! 

Look, whether he have not crowned dead Cassius ! 

Bru. Are yet two Romans living such as these? — 
The last of aU the Romans, fare thee well ! 
100 It is impossible that ever Rome 

Should breed thy fellow. — Friends, I owe more tears 
To this dead man than you shall see me pay. — 
I shall find time, Cassius, I shall find time. — 
Come, therefore, and to Thassos send his body ; 
His funerals shall not be in our camp. 
Lest it discomfort us. — Lucilius, come ; — 
And come, young Cato ; let us to the field. — 



Scene 4] JULIUS C^SAR 165 

Labeo and Flavins, set our battles on : — 

'Tis three o'clock ; and, Romans, yet ere night 

We shall try fortune in a second fight. [Exeunt 110 

Scene IV 
Another Part of the Field 

Atarum. Enter, fighting, Soldiers of both Armies; then 
Brutus, Cato, Lucilius, and others 

Bru. Yet, countrymen, O yet hold up your heads ! 

Cato. What bastard doth not ? Who will go with 
me? 
I will proclaim my name about the field : — 
I am the son of Marcus Cato, ho ! 
A foe to tyrants, and my country's friend ; 
I am the son of Marcus Cato, ho ! [^Charges the enemy. 

Bru. And T am Brutus, Marcus Brutus, I ; 
Brutus, my country's friend ; know me for Brutus. 

[^Exit, charging the enemy. Cato is overpowered, 
and falls. 

Lucil. G young and noble Cato, art thou down ? 
Why, now thou diest as bravely as Titinius ; 10 

And mayst be honored, being Cato's son. 

1 Sold. Yield or thou diest. 

Lucil. Only I yield to die : 



166 JULIUS C^SAR [Act V 

There is so much that thou wilt kill me straight ; 

{^Offering money. 
Kill Brutus, and be honored in his death. 

1 Sold. We must not. — A noble prisoner ! 

2 Sold. Room, ho ! Tell Antony, Brutus is ta'en. 

1 Sold. I'll tell the news. — Here comes the gen* 
eral. — 

Enter Antony 

Brutus is ta'en, Brutus is ta'en, my lord. 
Ant. Where is he? 

20 Lucil. Safe, Antony ; Brutus is safe enough ; 
I dare assure thee that no enemy 
Shall ever take alive the noble Brutus : 
The gods defend him from so great a shame ! 
When you do find him, or alive or dead, 
He will be found like Brutus, like himself. 

Ant. This is not Brutus, friend; but, I assure you, 
A prize no less in worth : keep this man safe, 
Give him all kindness ; I had rather have 
Such men my friends, than enemies. Go on, 

30 And see whether Brutus be alive, or dead : 
And bring us word unto Octavius' tent 
How everything is chanced. [Exeunt. 



Scene 5] JULIUS CAESAR 167 

Scene V 

Another Part of the Field 

Enter Brutus, Dardanius, Clitus, Strato, and 

VOLUMNIUS 

Bru. Come, poor remains of friends, rest on this rock. 

Cli. Statilius showed the torchlight : but, my lord^ 
He came not back ; he is or ta'en or slain. 

Bru. Sit thee down, Clitus : slaying is the word ; 
It is a deed in fashion. Hark thee, Clitus. — 

[ Whispering. 

Cli. What I, my lord ? No, not for all the world. 

Bru. Peace then, no words. 

Cli. I'd rather kill myself. 

Bru. Hark thee, Dardanius. — [_Whispers him. 

Bar. Shall I do such a deed ? 

Cli. O Dardanius ! 

Dar. O Clitus ! 10 

Cli. What ill request did Brutus make to thee ? 

Dar. To kill him, Clitus. Look, he meditates. 

Cli. Now is that noble vessel full of grief, 
That it runs over even at his eyes. 

Bru. Come hither, good Volumnius : list a word. 

Vol. What says my lord ? 

Bru. Why, this, Volumnius .' 



168 JULIUS C^SAR [Act V 

The ghost of Caesar hath appeared to me 

Two several times by night : at Sardis, once ; 

And this, last night, here in Philippi fields. 

I know my hour is come. 
20 Vol. Not so, my lord. 

Bru. Nay, I'm sure it is, Volumnius. 

Thou see'st the world, Volumnius, how it goes ; 

Our enemies have beat us to the pit. [Low alarums. 

It is more worthy to leap in ourselves 

Than tarry till they push us. Good Volumnius, 

Thou know'st that we two went to school together ; 

Even for that our love of old, I pr'ythee, 

Hold thou my sword-hilts, whilst I run on it. 
Vol. That's not an office for a friend, my lord. 

\_Alarum still. 
30 Cli. Fly, fly, my lord ; there is no tarrying here. 
Bru. Farewell to you ; — and you ; — and you, 
Volumnius. — 

Strato, thou hast been all this while asleep ; 

Farewell to thee too, Strato. — Countrymen, 

My heart doth joy that yet, in all my life, 

I found no man but he was true to me. 

I shall have glory by this losing day, 

More than Octavius and Mark Antony 

By this vile conquest shall attain unto. 



Scene 5] JULIUS C^SAR 169 

So, fare you well at once ; for Brutus' tongue 
Hath almost ended his life's history : 40 

Night hangs upon my eyes : my bones would rest, 
That have but labored to attain this hour. 

\_Alarum. Cry iciihin — Fly, fly, fly ! 
Cli. Fly, my lord, fly ! 
Bru. Hence ; I will follow. 

[Exeunt Clitus, Dardanius, and Volumnius. 
I pr'ythee, Strato, stay thou by thy lord : 
Thou art a fellow of a good respect ; 
Thy life hath had some smatch of honor in it : 
Hold, then, my sword, and turn away thy face, 
While I do run upon it. Wilt thou, Strato ? 

Stra. Give me your hand first: fare you well, my 

lord. 
Bru. Farewell, good Strato. — Caesar, now be still : 50 
I kill'd not thee with half so good a will. 

[He runs on his sword, and dies. 

Alarum; retreat. Enter Octavius, Antony, Mes- 
SALA, LuciLius, and the Army 

Oct. What man is that ? 

Mes. My master's man. — Strato, where is thy 

master ? 
Stra. Free from the bondage you are in, Messala ; 



170 JULIUS CyESAR [Act V 

The conquerors can but make a fire of him ; 

For Brutus only overcame himself, 

And no man else hath honor by his death. 

Lucil. So Brutus should be found. — I thank thee, 
Brutus, 
That thou hast proved Lucilius' saying true. 

Oct. All that served Brutus, I will entertain 
60 them. — 

Fellow, wilt thou bestow thy time with me ? 

Stra, Ay, if Messala will prefer me to you. 

Oct. Do so, good Messala. 

Mes. How died my master, Strato? 

Stra. I held the sword, and he did run on it. 

Mes. Octavius, then take him to follow thee, 
That did the latest service to my master. 

A nt. This was the noblest Roman of them all : - 
All the conspirators, save only he, 
Did that they did in envy of great Caesar ; 
70 He only, in a general honest thought 

And common good to all, made one of them. 
His life was gentle ; and the elements 
So mixed in him that nature might stand up. 
And say to all the world, " This was a man ! 'L. 

Oct. According to his virtue let us use him, 
With all respect and rites of burial. 



Scene 5] JULIUS CjESAR 171 

Within my tent his bones to-night shall lie, 

Most like a soldier, ordered honorably. — 

So, call the field to rest : and let's away, 

To part the glories of this happy day. [Exeunt. 80 



NOTES 



The following contractions are employed in the notes : 0. E. = Old 
English ; O, Fr. = Old French ; Gr. = Greek ; Lat. = Latin ; Cf. = con- 
fer (compare) ; Abbott = Dr. Abbott's Shakespearean Grammar; 
CI. P. S. = Clarendon Press Series ; and Co. S. =Collins'8 Series. Notes 
without name appended are Prof. Meiklejohn'e. 



ACT FIRST 
Scene 1 



3. Mechanical = mechanics or artisans. Ought not 

walk. This is the only instance in Shakespeare where ought 
is not followed by to. After the verbs hid, see, make, hear, 
tell, and others, we have at present no to; because with 
these verbs the old infinitives in an remained longer in use. 
And Dr. Abbott points out that, in the Elizabethan period, 
there was much inconsistency in the use or' omission of 
the to. 

4. A laboring-day = a working day. The word labor- 
ing is not here an adjective or participle, but a gerund or 
verbal noun, like frying-pan, walking-stick, working-dress, 

riding-coat, etc. (= pan for frying, etc.). Without the 

sign. There was no such sumptuary law among the 
Romans. 

173 



174 NOTES [Act I 

10. In respect of = in comparison with. 

11. A cobbler = a botcher or bungler. 

12. Directly = straightforwardly. Shakespeare in the 
same way uses roundly. 

16. Naughty = good for naught or nothing. 

17. Knave, not in the bad modern sense, but = fellow. 
In O. E. (as in modern German, Knabe) it simply meant a 
hoy. Sir John Mandeville calls Mahomet ' a poure knave.' 

18. Beseecti, a compound of seek. Another compound is 
forsake (=give up seeking), with the O. E. pronunciation 
of seek. Be not out. Cf . fall out. 

19. If you be out (here used in the second of the two 
senses), that is, at heels. Cf. out at elboios. 

25. 'Women's = tradeswomen's. 

26. Surgeon. The old form was chirurgeon, from Gr 
cheir, the hand, and ergonya, work. 

27. Recover, used in the two senses of recover and 
re-cover. 

28. Neat's-leather = ox leather. Neat is the O. E. word 
for cattle, and is still found in Scotland in the foi^m of nowt, 
Cf . neaVs foot oil. 

34. To see Caesar. Caesar had just returned from Spain, 
triumphant over the sons of Pompeyin the battle of Munda, 
in the spring of 45 b.c. 

37. Bonds. From hind come also hand, bundle, looo'd- 
bine, etc. 

40. Pompey, son of Cneius Pompeius Strabo, born 106 
B.C., and assassinated in 48. Co. S. 

43. Infants. From Lat. in, not, and fari, to speak. 
From the same root come fable, fate (the thing spoken), 
fatal, fame, infamous (= not to be spoken of). 

46. But = merely or only. 

48. Tiber . . . her. Shakespeare makes the Tiber femi- 
nine ; but the Romans made it masculine. That = so 

that. 



Scene 1] NOTES 175 

49. Replication = echo or reverberation. From Lat. 
replico, I fold or turn back. 
52. Cull out = pick out as. 

57. Intermit = put aside. 

58. Needs. An old genitive. Cf. straigJitivays, else 
(=elles), backwards, etc. 

61. Tiber Banks. So we have in the Fifth Act, * Phi- 
lippi fields ' ; and in other plays, * Pisa walls,' ' Cyprus wars,' 
'music vows,' the ' region kites.' (See Abbott, sect. 22.) 

62. Till the lowest stream. That is, till the stream at 
its lowest be increased by your tears until it touches the top 
of the banks. A hyperbole of the strongest kind. 

64. Metal, another form of the word mettle ; both from 
Or. raetallon, a mine. 

66. Capitol. The temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus 
and citadel of Eome (Capitolium) , to which a victorious 
general, entering the city in triumph, rode to return thanks 
to Jupiter. 

67. Disrobe. A laurel crown, tied with a white fillet, 
had been placed upon the statues of Caesar. 

68. Ceremonies, that is, trophies and scarfs. Crowns 
had also been placed on Caesar's statues. 

70. Lupercal. One of the most ancient Eoman festivals, 
celebrated annually in honor of Lupercus, the god of fer- 
tility. It was held on the 15th of February, near the Luper- 
cal, at the foot of the Mons Aventinus, where Romulus and 
Remus were said to have been found with their nurse, 
the she-wolf. The Luperci, or priests, sacrificed goats and 
young dogs, and, cutting the skins into thongs, they ran with 
them through the city, touching and striking men and 
women. This act was a symbolic purification of the land, 
and the touching was a purification of men. 

73. Vulgar, from Lat. vulgus, the common people. 

76. Pitch, highest flight of a hawk. 

78. Servile, such as befits slaves. (From Lat. servus, a 
slave.) 



176 NOTES [Act I 

Scene 2 

9. Elders = forefathers. 

11. Sterile curse = curse of sterility. Caesar was now 
childless. 
17. The press = the crowd. Cf . Chaucer : — 

' Fly from the presse, and dwell with soothfastnesse.' 

See also Mark ii. 4. 

20. The Ides. The Roman method of reckoning the days 
of the month was very peculiar. The first of each month 
was called Kalends {Kalendar) ; the Nones {Nonal) on. the 
5th (but on the 7th in March, May, July, and October) ; and 
the Ides (Idiis) eight days later than the Nones. From these 
three fixed points the Romans counted backwards. Thus 
the 30th of January was three days (taking in both the day 
counted from and the day counted to) before, or the third 
day before, the Kalends of February ; and so on. The Ides 
of March, May, July, and October fell on the 15th day. 

26. Sennet, a piece of martial music, or a set of notes 
played on a trumpet as a signal for a procession to move. 

27. Order of the course, the manner in which the pro- 
cession is marshalled, and the direction in which it is led. 

30. Gamesome, inclined for frolic. 

31. Spirit, turn of mind. Quick = lively. 

36. As = that. Still in use by uneducated people through- 
out England. Shakespeare frequently uses it as a relative 

pronoun in this and other plays. Show of love, proofs 

of affection. 

37. You bear ... a hand, you are too distant and un- 
friendly. The metaphor is borrowed from horsemanship. 

41, 42. Vex6d I am . . . with passions, etc. I have 
been troubled by conflicting emotions. 

43. Conceptions ... to myself, thoughts or ideas 

which concern me only. Proper = peculiar. So we have 

in Shakespeare, ' their proper selves,' * my proper hand.' 



Scene 2] NOTES • 177 

44. Soil, tarnish, stain. Behaviors. Shakespeare fre- 
quently uses the plural where the singular is generally 
employed. 

51. By means -whereof = and through this mistake. 

56. Just = quite true. 

61. Where = of instances in which. Respect = high- 
est note or distinction. 

64. His, written carelessly for their. CI. P. S. 

73. Be not jealous on me = be not suspicious of me. 
So we also find in Shakespeare, ' revenged on her death,' 
' fond on her,' ' command upon me.' 

74. Did use = were accustomed. 

75. To stale, make stale or common. 

78. After = afterwards. Scandal, speak evil of. 

79. Profess myself = show I profess friendly feeling for 
any one at a banquet. 

80. Rout, a mixed assembly. Hold = consider, or 

look upon me as. 

87. General good, welfare of the public at large. 

89. Indifferently = impartially. 

90. Speed = prosper. Cf . God-speed, a phrase very com- 
mon in Bunyan. 

93. Outw^ard favor = personal appearance. 

97. I had as lief , I would prefer. Ifad is here an old sub- 
junctive, like the German hdtte; and lief (O. E. leof) is an 
old adjective, meaning dear. 

103. Chafing with, that is, lashing the banks with vio- 
lence, as if angry with them for restraining it. 

106. Yonder, an old comparative of yon. (Cf. Ger. 
jen-er.) The d is intrusive, and serves as a cushion between 
the two liquids n and r. 

111. Hearts of controversy, with hearts that opposed 
and fought against the violence of the stream. 

112. Arrive, strive at, reach ; Lat. adripare, to come to 
the bank (ripa). So Dr. Abbott (sect. 198) gives in Milton, 



178 NOTES [Act I 

* to creep the ground,' * to tower the sky ' ; and in Shake- 
speare, 'aspire the clouds,' 'parted Pentapolis,' 'depart the 
city,' etc. 

114. ^neas, son of Anchises and Venus. At tlie sack 
and burning of Troy, he carried off his father Anchises on 
his shoulders. 

124. Color fly, that is, became white. The metaphor is 
taken from cowardly soldiers flying from their colors. 

126. His = its ; the neuter possessive pronoun is rarely 
used by Shakespeare. It is not to be found in the Bible of 
1611. Its use became general only in the latter half of the 
17th century. 

131. Temper, constitution of body, temperament. 

132. Get the start of = outstrip. The majestic 

'world, in contrast to * a man ' of such a feeble temper ' ; 
just as in line 137 it is * the narrow world,' while Caesar is a 
Colossus. CI. P. S. 

138. A Colossus. The Colossus at Rhodes, one of the 
seven wonders of the world. It was an immense brazen 
statue that spanned the entrance to the harbor of Rhodes 
(the chief city in the island of Rhodes, in the ^gean Sea) , 
and under the legs of which the ships entering the harbor 
had to sail. It was 105 feet high, and was ascended by a 
winding staircase. The name of this statue became a ge- 
neric name for any very large statue ; and hence, too, the 
meaning of the word colossal. 

142. Our stars, the planets seen in the heavens at the 
time of one's birth. 

143. Underling is a double diminutive. El we find in 
pickerel^ losel, etc. Ing was in O. E. = son of. The two 
together now mark a contemptuous diminutive, as in lord- 
ling, witling, weakling ; but not always, since we have 
darling (= dearling), yearling, foundling, etc. 

148. Conjure, try to raise the dead by means of them, as 
ancient conjurers pretended to do. 



Scene 2] NOTES 179 

153. Breed, connected with brood, hrew, bird, hroth-er, 

etc. Noble bloods, patricians of high lineage, men of 

renown. 

IM. Since the great flood of Deucalion and Pyrrha. 

158. Rome indeed, and room. Room was the old pro- 
nunciation of Rome, even up to the beginning of this 
century. Earl Russell, who died in 1S77, always said Room. 

161. Brutus. Junius Brutus, the first Roman consul, was 
created after the expulsion of the kings, and from him the 

Marcus Brutus in the jDlay claimed descent. Brooked, 

tolerated; perhaps derived from the O. E. word brucan, 
Ger. brauchen, to use, enjoy. Brucan had also the meaning 
of to digest ; and this would agree best with the meaning in 
the passage, to stomach. 

162. Eternal = with perpetual dominion. Keep his 

state = his high position of governing power. 

164. Nothing- jealous = I have no reason to doubt that 
you love me. For this adverbial use of nothing, compare 
1 Henry IV. (III. i.) : — 

' And that would set my teeth nothing on edge.' (Abbott, sect. 55.) 

165. Work me to = incite me to do. Aim = idea or 

guess. 

167. For this present (supply) time. 

168. So = provided that. 

173. Chew = ruminate, ponder deeply over. 

175. Repute = account.. To is frequently by Shakespeare 
omitted and inserted in the same sentence. 

176. For these we should now use such. — ^ As = that. 
183. Proceeded = taken place, happened. Worthy. 

Shakespeare very frequently uses worthy without of. 

185. A chidden train = a company of men who have 
been scolded. 

188. Ferret . . . eyes, that is, eyes of a red color, with a 
keen sight like those of the animal. 



180 NOTES [A.CT I 

195. Sleep o' nights. 'Of was used in older English for 
* during ' ; and we still have it in the phrase of a sudden. 
*He comes here of a Sunday,' is usual in the south of Eng- 
land. (See Abhott, sect. 176.) 

199. Well-given = well-disposed. 

201. Yet, if my name, etc., yet if a man who bears such 
a name as I were capable of fear. 

206. He hears no music, he does not care about music ; 
so in the Merchant of Venice (V. i. 83-88) : — 

' The man that hath no music in hunself, 
Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds, 
Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils; 
The motions of his spirit are dull as night. 
And his affections dark as Erebus; 
Let no such man be trusted.' 

207. Seldom is one of two old dative plurals we have in 
the language. The other, now found only in verse, is whilom. 

208. Scorned his spirit, despised himself. 

210. Be, used instead of are, for the sake of euphony. 
Be is English; are is a Danish word, formerly er. 

211. Whiles, an O. E. genitive, so long as, while ; O. E. 
hwil time. Hence the phrase, to while away the time. 

215. For this ear is deaf. This, like Cicero's ferret 
eyes, is a touch of Shakespeare's own. CI. P. S. 

220. Sad, grave, weighed down with thought. From the 
verbse^ Sir John Mandeville talks of a sad stone = close 
set in the grain. 

226. Second. An ordinal from Latin, instead of one 
formed from tioo. It comes from sequor, to follow; hence 
= that ordinal which follows the first. Hence too the words 
sequel, consequence, etc. 

231. Marry = Marie or Mary, an appeal to the Virgin 
Mary. 

232. Other = the other. 

233. Honest, used in a patronizing kind of way. 



Scene 2] NOTES 181 

242. Fain, joyfully, gladly. O. E. faegen joyful. Ah 
O. E. hard g was frequently changed into an i, as from 
nagel and hagel we have 7iail and hail. 

244. Loth, unwilling. O. E. lath. To lay his fin- 
gers off it, to keep from fingering or touching it. 

246. By = aside. Still, continually. Rabblement, 

a noisy crowd ; Dutch rabbelen, to gabble. Rabblement is a 
hybrid word. It is a Teutonic word with a Latin suffix, 
mentuTn. 

247. Chopped hands, from working hard ; hardly appli- 
cable to the Koman rabblement, who did no work at all. 

251. Swooned. Other editions have swounded. The d 
comes after the liquid, as in sound (from Fr. son) , thunder^ 
fromO.E. thuner, gender from. Fr. genre. To sivoon is to 
escape from consciousness ; a diminutive is swindle = to 
escape from the consciousness of others. 

255. The market-place, the Forum. 

256. At mouth. Cf. at ease. Compare the phrase at 
mouth with others from Shakespeare, at door, at palace, 
at bright, on knees. 

257. The falling-.sickness, epilepsy. The Comitia, or 
general assembly of the Roman people, was stopped if any 
one present was attacked by this illness ; hence the disease 
was called Morbus comitialis. Suetonius, in his Life of 
Julius Csesar, states that ' he was on two occasions attacked 
by the comitial sickness during the course of public 
business.' 

268. Plucked me. This is a vivid and colloquial use of 
the word me, and is called by some grammarians the dativus 
ethicus. Shakespeare is very fond of it. Thus, in the Two 
Gentlemen of Verona (IV. iv.), he says: * He steps me to her 
trencher and steals her capon's leg.' So too, 'peels me,' 

'knocks me,' etc. Ope = open. Doublet = outer 

garment. 

269. An, if. 



182 NOTES [Act I 

270. Occupation, The word is here used with a sneer- 
ing reference to himself, and seems to have a double mean- 
ing. 'If I had been a mechanic, like the others,' and 
' If I had been a practical man, with an eye for an oppor- 
tunity.' 

274. Worship = worthship. The word ship is found in 
several forms in English. It is the noun from the verb 
shape (O. E. scyppan). With land it appears as scape 
{landscape ; Milton writes landsJcip); in other works as shij) 
in lordship, etc. 

287. It was Greek = quite unintelligible. Though here, 
as in other places, Casca talks with an assumed ignorance, 
he, like other well-educated Romans, knew Greek. 

292. I am promised forth, I am previously engaged. 

294. Your mind hold, you are still inclined to have ray 
company. 

299. Quick mettle = a lively fellow. 

302. However, although. Tardy form (/orm used 

here as it is nowadays employed) , slow way of speaking and 
acting. Shakespeare is fond of throwing the emphatic noun 
into the form of an adjective. Thus he speaks of the * shady 
stealth ' ( = stealing shadow) of a dial ; and in the Merchant 
of Venice, the ' sad ostent ' of Antonio means * the appear- 
ance of sadness.' 

303. Sauce, from Latin salsum, something salted. The I 
has been changed into w, as in French saumon, chaud {call' 
dus) , beau, ( = hellus), etc. 

304. Digest. Get to know the meaning of. 
306. And so it is = exactly so. 

310. Of the world = present state of political affairs. 

313. From that it is disposed, supply to. 

314. Likes. We have a few English adjectives used as 
nouns in the plural, as goods, greens, etc. In some parts of 
England the phrase is still found, ' the likes of you.' 

315. Seduce. From Latin ducere, to lead, and se, aside. 



Scene 3] NOTES 18S 

318. He should not humor me, should not influence 
me nor try to change my mind by taking notice of my lik- 
ings or dislikings. 

319. Hands, handwritings. 

324. Seat him, a reflexive verb = sit. 

325. Endure. 'We will either shake him or endure 
worse days in suffering the consequences of our attempt.' 

Scene 3 

1. Brought you Csesar home ? = Did you escort 
Caesar to his house? CI. P. S. 

3. S"way of earth. All the steady and equable move- 
ment of the earth. The y represents an old hard g, which 
reappears in swagger. 

4. Unfirm, unsteady, unstable. Un is the English nega- 
tive prefix ; i7i is the Latin. But unfirm here is = not firm ;. 
while infirm would be = weak. 

6. Rived, modern form riven, which is never used by 
Shakespeare. Danish rive. From this verb comes rift; as 
from thrive we have thrift; from drive, drift, etc. 

8. Exalted with = raised as high as. From Latin alius, 
high. 

14. Anything more wonderful. Supply 'that was' 
after more. Dr. Abbott thinks it means, ' more wonderful 
than usual ' ; Delius, ' more wonderful than what you have 
already told me.' More = else, says another. 

16. Left. From leave. The left hand is the hand that is 
not used, that is, left. 

18. Unscorched. From Latin cortex, corticis, bark; 
Low Latin excorticare, to take the bark off ; O. Fr. escor- 
cher; Fr. ecorcer. 

20. Against = over against, or right opposite to. 

21. Who glared. ' Who ' is often used of animals, par- 



184 NOTES [Act I 

ticularly in similes when they are compared to men. (See 
Abbott, sect. 264.) 

22, 23. Drawn upon a heap = drawn together into a 

mass. Ghastly. This word is connected with ghost, 

aghast, gust, yeast, geyser; and the German geist. The root 
idea seems to be something that moves. 

26. Bird of night, the screech-owl. 

28. Hoot, from hut, begone. Compare Aa/^ &n6. shaft; 
whip and sweep; cry and scream; ramble and scramble; 
lean and slender; heave and shove ; and many others. 

31. Portentous = things of portent or evil omen. From 
X,atin 2iro, forth, and tendere, to stretch. 

32. Climate, country. Point upon, indicate. *In 

Shakespeare's time the word climate had no reference to 
differences of temperature.' (Craik.) 

33. Strange-disposed = strangely disposed . 

34. C6nstrue things . . . fashion, explain things in 
their own way. 

35. Clean, etc., quite away from and contrary to their 
real meaning. 

42. What night = what a night. Shakespeare fre- 
quently omits a after what, in the sense of lohat kind of. 
{Abbott, sect. 86.) 

47. Submitting me unto, taking my chance of. 

48. Unbraced. Shakespeare, in matters of dress, 
speaks of the costume of his own time. CI. P. S. 

49. The thunder-stone = thunder-bolt. 

50. Cross = zigzag. So, in King Lear (IV. vii. 35), we 

have : — 

' The most terrible and nimble stroke.' 

55. Tokens. From the verb teach. The ch in teach was 
originally a guttural, which appears as gh in taught, and as 
k in token. Connected with the Gr. deik-numi, I point out, 
and the Latin doc-eo, I teach, and digitus, a finger. 



Scene 3] NOTES 185 

60. Case yourself in wonder = dress yourself in won- 
der. CI. P. S. 

61. Strange impatience, strange, unsettled state of the 
heavens. 

64. Prom quality and kind, contrary to their real 
nature ; analogous to, a wall off the perpendicular, where 
a preposition and noun = an adjective. 

65. Fool, play the fool. Calculate, reflect, or become 

unnaturally reflective. From is frequently used by Shake- 
speare in the sense of apart from, aivay from. Thus in 
Hamlet, * Anything so overdone is from the purpose of 
playing.' (Abbott, sect. 158.) 

67. Pre-form6d faculties, faculties intended by original 
design for certain special ends. CI. P. S. 

68. Monstrous quality = the quality or condition of 
monsters. 

71. Monstrous state = state in an abnormal condition. 
76. Prodigious grown, grown portentous. 

79. Let it be who it is. It is of no consequence who 
it is. 

80. Thews, sinews ; the word thigh, O. E. theoh, is related 
to it. 

81. Woe the while ! Alas for the evil time on which we 
have fallen. While is here in the dative case, as in the 
phrase Woe is me ! ( = to me) . 

83. Sufferance, what we endure. 

88. Where I will wear = in what place, that is, in his 
heart. Then — in that case. 

93. Dungeon, so called because it was in the donjon or 
keep, the most secure place in a castle. 

94. Retentive to, capable of keeping in. 

101. Cancel, to put an end to by scoring thickly with 
lines drawn lattice-fashion, hence obliterating the warrant 
of committal of a prisoner ; Fr. canceller; Low Lat. cancello, 
from cancelli, lattices ; diminutive of cancer, a crab. Hence 



186 NOTES [Act I 

also chancel, chancellor, whose seat was enclosed with 
lattice-work. 

107. Trash, according to Wedgwood, originally meant 
the clippings of trees, hence any worthless stuff. 

108. Offal ( = off-fall, what falls off), refuse ; the entrails 
of cattle and sheep, which, containing much fatty matter, 
would, if thrown upon a fire, tend to increase the blaze. 

113. My ans-wer must be made. I must be answer- 
able, or take the consequences. 

115, 116. Such . . . that. We would now say ' such . . . 
as.' But ' such . . . ^/mi ' is common in Shakespeare. (See 

Abbott, sect. 279.) Fleering, jeering, gibing. Hold, 

my hand = here is my hand as a pledge. 

117. Be factious, get up a faction, or opposition party. 
Griefs, grievances. 

122. Undergo = undertake. 

123. Honorable-dangerous. Such compound epithets 
are usual with Shakespeare. Thus we find 'More active- 
valiant,' ov 'More valiant-young' (1 Henry IV., V. i. ), 
'crafty-sick,' 'senseless-obstinate,' 'silly-stately,' etc. (Ab- 
bott, sect. 2.) Consequence, result. 

125. In Pompey's porch, the meeting place of the con- 
spirators. 

127. The element = the sky. 

128. In favor = in appearance. 

130. Stand close, keep out of sight. Close is from Lat. 
claudo, I shut, through the French. Hence close and clause 
are the same word in different forms. From the same root 
we have enclose, close (a cathedral close), etc. 

131. Gait, from the verb go. From the same root come 
gate (a place one goes through) , gang (a set of men who go 
together) , gaiters (things to go or walk in) . 

134. Incorporate to, one who has a hand in, or is privy 
to — a fellow-conspirator. 

135. Stayed for, expected. 



Act II] NOTES 187 

136. I am glad on't. This is said in reply to the first. 
remark, that Casca is ' one of us.' 

137. There's t-w^o or three. ' When the subject is as. 
yet future, and, as it were, unsettled, the third person sing- 
ular may be regarded as the normal inflection.' 

141. Be you content, calm yourself, keep cool. 

142. Praetor's chair, where the praetor urbanus, or city 
magistrate sat to try cases. The praetor urbanus was the 
chief magistrate in the administration of justice. 

143. Where Brutus may but find it, where Brutus 
alone or only may find it. Dr. Abbott thinks the phrase is 
= ' cannot but find.' But Professor Craik very happily con- 
jectures that hut is a misprint for best. 

147. Is at the beginning of a question has often in Shake- 
speare many subjects attached to it. See 137. 
150. Bestow = stow away or place. 

154. Is ours; three parts, or the sum of three parts,, 
forms the subject to is. 

155. Next encounter (= meeting), yields him ours,, 
next meeting makes him completely one of our party. 

156. O, he sits high, etc. O, he is very popular. 

158. Alchemy, which changes inferior metals into gold. 
Al-kimia, in Arabic, meant the black art. Al is the Arabic- 
article, which we find in Alcoran, alcohol (= the spirit), 
algebra (= al-gabr, the putting together of broken things),, 
alligator (= Spanish el lagarto, Lat. lacertus, the lizard),, 
and many others. 

161. Conceited, formed a good idea of. 

ACT SECOND 

Scene 1 
Orchard = garden. 
1. What, an interjection. 

3. Give guess how near to day, guess how near day- 
light it is. 



188 I^OTES [Act U 

10. It (the delivery of Rome from tyranny) must be by> 
liis (Caesar's) death. 

11. Spurn = be angry with. 

12. For the general, on account of the community at 
large, the people. Cf . Hamlet (II. ii. 457) : ' For the play, I 
remember, pleased not the million; 'twas caviare to the 
general.' 

14. The bright day = the sunshine of prosperity. 

Brings forth from its lurking-place. 

15. Craves = calls for or demands. A craven is a man 

who has craved for his life, hence a coward. Wary 

"walking, cautious movements. Cro^wn him? — that= 

yes, or grant that we do. So the French oui (0. Fr. oil) = 
illud, that. 

17. Do danger "with = do mischief with. 

19. Remorse, tender feeling, compassion, 

21. A common proof, a matter of common experience. 

24. Round, Chaucer has rong ; Scotch rung. 

26. Degrees, steps. 

28. Prevent, hinder him from doing so. -Quarrel, a 

cause of complaint against Caesar. 

29. Will bear no color = can carry upon the face of it 
no colorable pretext for putting him out of the way. 

30. Fashion it thus, put it in this way. Aug- 
mented, Caesar's power increased. 

31. These and these extremities = such and such 
lengths. 

32. Think, look upon. 

33. As his kind. This may either mean ' according to 
his nature,' or ' like the rest of his species.' 

47. Redress our grievances. 

49. Instigations, from Lat. instigo, to prick on. The 
■stig in instigo is found also in the Greek stigma and the Lat. 
stimulus. 

51. Piece it out, make it into a whole. 



Scene 1] WOTES 189 

52. One man's awe = the awe of or for one man. The 
subjective genitive is here used instead of the objective with 
of. Cf. God's fear = the fear of God. 

56. I make thee promise, I make a promise to thee, or 
I promise thee (dative). 

59. March is wasted, etc., fourteen days of March are 
passed. 

64. Motion, impulse towards it. 

65. Phantasma, a creature of the imagination. From 
Greek phaino, I show. Hence also phantasy (contracted 
into fancy) , phantom, phantastie, phenomenon, etc. 

66. The genius and the mortal instruments, the 
reasonable soul and the bodily powers. CI. P. S. 

68. Suffers = undergoes. 

69. The nature of, etc., a kind of insurrection. 

70. Your brother (-in-law) Cassius. The wife of Cas« 
sins was Junia, sister of Brutus. 

71. Alone = all one. ' All there are one.' So only = 
one-ly ; and lone = al-one. 

73. Plucked about = pulled down over. 

75. That = so that. May discover. May originally 

meant to be able ; and we still have this meaning in the two 
nouns from it, might and main. 

76. Any mark of favor, features. 

77. Faction, band of conspirators. 

78. Sham'st thou = art thou ashamed. The O. E. scea* 
tnian was always intransitive. 

79. Evils = evil things. 

83. Semblance, from Lat. similis, through the Fr. sem^ 
bier. The b is introduced between the two liquids m. 
and I. Path = walk or march openly. CI. P. S. 

84. Erebus, the third of the five divisions of Hades — the 
unseen world. 

85. Prom prevention, from being found out. 



190 NOTES [Act II 

86. Are too bold upon your rest, have too intrusively 
toroken your slumbers. 

90. And (there is) no man. 

98. Watchful cares = cares that keep you awake. 

104. Fret, O. 'E.fretten, to eat, the Low Germau form of 
the High German fressen, to eat (said of animals) . In 
Chaucer's time it simply meant to eat : — 

' The sow thefreiene child right in the cradle.' 

107. Growing on = getting nearer to. 

108. Weighing' = considering. Youthful season, 

spring; month — March; day — 15th. 

110. Presents his fire, shows his rays. 

115. The sufferance of our souls, what our souls 
suffer. 

116. Break off betimes, go away at once. 

117. Hence, be off. Idle, where he may lie in idle- 
ness. Unoccupied. Co. S. 

118. High-sighted tyranny, tyranny with lofty looks. 

119. Drop by lottery = fall and die by the chance 
■determination of the tyrant — as accidentally, to all ap- 
pearance, as if he had drawn lots. These = these 

considerations which I have urged. 

123. What = why. 

124. Other bond (need we). 

125. Secret Romans = that of secret Romans. 

Secret, men who can keep a secret ; modern form secretive. 

126. Palter, to trifle, babble, equivocate. Low German 
palte, rags; hence sdso paltry . Cf. Macbeth (V. viii. 19) : — 

' And be those juggling fiends no more beUeved, 
That palter with us in a double sense ; 
That keep the word of promise to the ear, 
And break it to the hope.' 

127. Honesty to honesty engaged = honest men en- 
gaged to honest men. 



Scene 1] NOTES 191 

129. Swear, used here transitively. — - Cautelous = 
suspicious, not to be misled. 

130. Carrions, carcasses, a contemptuous epithet ; Fr. 
carogne, Lat. carnem. 

132. Doubt, from Lat. dubifo, from duo, two. Cf. Ger. 
zweifel, from zwei. 

133. Even, stainless, unblemished, without a flaw. 

IM. Insuppressive,that cannot be kept under or subdued. 

135. To think = by thinking. Our cause (which is 

so good) , or our performance (the resolute way in which 
we will act in fighting against tyranny), need any oath to 
keep us up to the mark. 

138. Several bastardy. Each individual drop of blood 
is to be considered as guilty of a separate (several) act of 
ill-faith, which proves it to be illegitimate. 

139. Particle. From Latin particula, a diminutive of 
pars, a part. The Fr. parcel comes fvom. particella. 

141. Sound. There are four words of this spelling in 
our language. Sound, from Latin sonus, a sound (Chaucer 
always writes soun) ; sound (= whole) , from Latin sanus 
(hence sanity, etc.) ; sound, a narrow strait (said to come 
from O. E. sund = swumd = what can be swum across) ; 
and sound, to measure the depth of, from Low Lat. suhun- 
dare, to put under the wave. 

142. Stand very strong', be very much on our side. 
144. Silver suggests purchase smdbuy. CI. P. S. 

147. Ruled our hands, directed or influenced us. 

148. No whit = in nothing. O. E. 7id wilit, no thing. 

150. Let us not break with him, let us not communi- 
cate our plans to him. In modern English it would have 
been : ' Let us not break (the matter) to him.' 

157. We shall find of him, that is, in him. 

158. A shrewd contriver, a clever and mischievous 
schemer. The original meaning of shrewd seems to have 
been evil, mischievous ; then cunning. 



192 NOTES [Act U 

164, Envy, malice. Cf. Merchant of Venice (IV. i. 10) : — 

' Carry me out of his envy's reach.' 

165. Limb. From O. E. limpan, to belong. The h is 
intrusive, and probably is a survival from the old plural 
linibru. So lamh from lambni. 

169. Come by = come at, get possession of ; still in use. 

175. Subtle, a contraction of subtile, from Latin subtexi- 
lis, finely woven, from texo, I weave. 

180. Purgers, purifiers of the land from tyranny. Cf. 
* Pride's Purge ' ; that is, the clearing out of the Long Par- 
liament by Colonel Pride. 

187. Take thought, fall into a melancholy state, become 
subject to care. Cf . 1 Samuel ix. 5 : * Let us return ; lest 
my father leave caring for the asses, and take thought for 
us.' And Hamlet (IV. v. 188) : — 

' ThoMght and affliction, passion, hell itself 
She turns to favor and to prettiness.' 

188. That were much he should. It would be a hard 
thing for him to do. 

190. There is no fear in, we need not be afraid of, etc. 
Here /ear is used in the objective, not in the subjective sense. 

196. Quite (away) from. Cf. King John (IV. i.) : — 

' I am best pleased to be from such a deed.' 

Main opinion, strong opinion. 

197. Fantasy, imagination; now shortened into fancy. 
Ceremonies, religious rites. 

198. Apparent prodig-ies, prodigies which are appear- 
ing. Here the participle ending ent (= Lat. ens) has its 
real force. 

200. Augurers (more commonly augurs) , soothsayers — 
a kind of prophets who judged of coming events by the 
notes and flight of birds, the behavior of the sacred chick- 
ens while pecking their corn, etc. From Lat. avis, a bird. 



Scene 1] NOTES 193 

203. O'ersway. Persuade him over to a different course. 

204. Unicorns betrayed -with trees, etc. These de- 
vices are described by Pliny. The unicorn (rhinoceros, or 
rather mouoceros) was taken by the hunter running behind 
a tree, against which the animal rushed violently, and his 
horn stack in the tree. A mirror was placed before the 
bear ; and while he gazed on it, the hunter was enabled to 
take surer aim. Elephants were betrayed into holes slightly 
covered over. 

206. Tolls, nets, traps, pitfalls. From Fr. toile, cloth; 
from Lat. tela, a web, from texo, I weave. 

212. There. At Caesar's house, not at the Capitol. 

213. Uttermost is a comparative + two superlatives. 
Vtter, the comparative of ut or out ; and ema, an old super- 
lative, with ost. Cf. uppermost. 

216. Who = because he. Cf . Lear (V. ill. 48) . Rate 

(from Lat. reor, ratus, reri, to think) is used also by Shake- 
speare in the sense of to value. Here it means to blame or 
chide. 

218. By him. By his house. 

220. Fashion him. Shape him to our purposes. 

224. Fresh and merrily. In a case like this, only the 
latter adverb has the adverbial termination. 

225. Put on, betray. 

227. Formal constancy, dignified or befitting self- 
possession. 

235. Commit. Often used by Shakespeare in the sense 
of entrust. Thus, Midsummer Night's Dream (II. ii.) : 
' Commit yourself into the hands of one that loves you 
not.' 

237. Ungently, unkindly. 

238. Yesternlg-ht, last night ; Scotch yestereen = yester- 
evening. 

240. Across, folded. 

245. Yet ... yet = still . . . still. 



194 NOTES [Act II 

246. Wafture, waving. Wave is also used by Shakespeare 
as = to beckon. From wave comes waft ; as from drive, 
drift ; rive, rift, etc. 

253. Shape, personal appearance. 

254. Condition, temper, disposition. 

255. Dear my lord = my dear lord ; not an uncommon 
transposition. Dr. Abbott, sect. 13, says: 'The possessive 
adjectives, when unemphatic, are sometimes transposed, 
being readily combined with nouns, like the Fr. tnonsieur, 
milord.'' And he gives: 'Good my brother,' 'sweet my 
mother,' 'poor our sex,' 'good your highness,' 'good my 
girl.' 

259. Come by it, be restored to health. 
261. Physical = belonging to physic ; that is, hygienic — 
tending to health, 

263. Dank, a form of damp. 

264. Wholesome, from heal, and connected with health, 
healthy, etc. 

265. Contagion = infection, pestilence. So Shakespeare 
speaks of 'contagious fogs,' ' contagious breath,! etc. 

266. Rheumy, tending to colds, catarrh, rheumatism, 
etc. Unpurg^d = unpurified. 

268. Sick offence, cause of harm. 

271. I charm you, I beseech you by charms. Charm 
comes through Fr., from the Lat. carmen, a song. Milton 
hence uses it in its literal sense when he speaks of ' the 
charm of early birds.' 

275. Heavy with sorrow, 

276. Had resort to, come to visit. 

283. Sort, in some degree, in a kind of way. Limita- 
tion, witliin certain bounds. 

285. In the suburbs = not in your heart, not in the 
centre. 

296. Fathered. A past participle made out of a noun. 
Cf. landed^ talented, hroad-acred, etc. 



Scene 1] NOTES ♦ 195 

298. Have made strong proof of my constancy, 
have put my strength of will to a severe proof. ' His wife 
Portia Avas the daughter of Cato, whom Brutus married 
being his cousin, not a maiden, but a young widow after the 
death of her first husband, Bibulus, by whom she had also a 
young son called Bibulus, who afterwards wrote a book of 
the acts and gests of Brutus, extant at this present day. 
This young lady being excellently well seen in philosophy, 
loving her husband well, and being of a noble courage, as 
she was also wise : because she would not ask her husband 
what he ailed, before she had made some proof by herself : 
she took a little razor, such as barbers occupy to pare men's 
nails, and, causing her maids and women to go out of her 
chamber, gave herself a great gash withal in her thigh, that 
she was straight all of a gore blood : and incontinently after 
a vehement fever took her, by reason of the pain of her 
wound. Then perceiving her husband was marvellously out 
of quiet, and that he could take no rest, even in her greatest 
pain of all, she spake in this sort unto him: "I being, O 
Brutus," said she, " the daughter of Cato, was married unto 
thee, to be partaker wath thee of thy good and evil fortune. 
Now for thyself. I can find no cause of fault in thee touch- 
ing our match : but for my part, how may I show my duty 
towards thee and how much I would do for thy sake, if I 
cannot constantly bear a secret mischance or grief with 
thee, which requireth secrecy and fidelity? I confess that 
a woman's wit commonly is too weak to keep a secret 
safely; but yet, Brutus, good education and the company 
of virtuous men have some power to reform the defect of 
nature. And for myself, I have this benefit moreover, that 
I am the daughter of Cato, and wife of Brutus. This not- 
withstanding, I did not trust to any of these things before, 
until that now I have found by experience that no pain or 
grief whatsoever can overcome me." ' 

304. Partake = part take. 



196 NOTES [Act II 

306. All my eng-ag-ements, all I am pledged to others 
to do. C6nstrue, explain. 

307. The chardctery of, the marks or lines of thought 
traced. From Gr. character, a mark engraved; from 
charasso, I engrave. 

310. Caius Ligarlus, a mortal enemy of Caesar's. 

312. Vouchsafe, deign to accept. 

314. Wear a kerchief, badge of a sick person. Kerchief 
is from Fr. coiwrir, to cover, and chef, the head. 

320. Discard my sickness. Ligarius throws off his 
kerchief. Discard, originally, to throio useless cards out of 
the hand. 

322. Exorcist. The general meaning attached to this 
word is one who lays spirits. Shakespeare always uses it 
in an opposite sense, one who raises them. 

323. Mortified spirit, the spirit that was dead within 
me. 

326. Whole, quite well. 

330. To whom = to him to whom. Set on your 

foot = lead on. ^ 

Scene 2 

I, Nor heaven nor earth have been. Shakespeare 
generally uses the singular, but sometimes the plural with 
7ior, nor. 

5. Present = immediate. 

6. Success, good fortune. Success (from Lat. succedere, 
to come after) means literally issue or result. Shakespeare 
has both the phrases had success and good success. 

II, Ne'er looked but on my back ; that is, they had 
not the daring to confront me. 

13. I never stood on ceremonies, I never attached 
any importance to religious signs, such as those seen and 
reported by augurs. 

21. Drizzled blood. In Hamlet (I. i. 117) we find ' dews 



Scene 2] NOTES 197 

of blood.' Drizzle seems to be a continuative from drip 
(whence also drihtle). Cf. turn, trundle; wade, waddle; 
shove, shuffle, etc. 

22. Hurtled, clashed, as with weapons coming heavily- 
together. 

25. Use, custom, visage, ordinary occurrence. 

27. Whose end = the end of which. The subjective 
genitive whose is employed for the objective genitive. 

31. Blaze forth, proclaim in the sky. Delius says the 
word here has two senses. From O. E. hlaese, a torch ; 
from hlaesan, to blow. Hence also blazon, to trum]3et foi-th. 
Another form seems to be blare. Cf. chair and c/iaise; rear 
and rise. 

39. Entrails. Fr. entrailles, from Gr. entera, intestines. 

49. Consumed in confidence = used up in rashness. 

67. Afeared, afraid. Both forms are found in Shake- 
speare. Graybeards, the senators; word used in a 

contemptuous sense. 

71. The cause is in my will. * Stat pro ratione voluntas.' 

75. Stays, keeps, detains. Stay is generally in Shake- 
speare an intransitive verb ; but he frequently makes it 
transitive, in the sense of to keep from falling , to keep back 
to detain, etc. 

76. To-nig-ht, said of the night just past. 

89. Cognizance, a heraldic emblem worn by the mem- 
bers of a particular family or party. In a technical sense, 
' tinctures ' are the metals, colors, and furs of heraldry. 

91. Expound, a form of expone (from Lat. expono, I 
explain) , by the addition of d. Cf . sound from Lat. son-us. 

93. And know it now : ' and ' here = and therefore. 
Know is in the irajperative mood. Concluded = deter- 
mined or resolved. 

96. A mock, a jibe, a piece of ridicule or derision. 

97. Apt to be rendered, likely to be made. 
103. Proceeding = to your political life or career. 



198 :N'0TES [Act II 

104, And reason to my love is liable, my reason is 
under control of, and subservient to, my love. 
108. Publius, perhaps the nepliew of Mark Antony. 
110. Stirred = up, out of bed. 
119. I am to blame, I ought to be blamed. 

128. That every like is, etc., that things which look 
like one another are not the same. Caesar said likefriendSf 
and Brutus regrets that they are not really friends. The 
adjective like is used as a noun. Cf. Measure for Measure 
(11. iv.):- 

' Say what you can, my faUe o'erweighs your true.' 

(See Abbott, sect. 5.) 

129. Yearns, grieves. Probably from O. E. yrnian, to 
grieve. It is frequently confounded with yearn, to long for, 
which comes from geornian, and which we find in Genesis 
(xliii. 30) : ' His bowels did yearn upon his brother.' Shake- 
speare always uses the word in the sense of to grieve or vex ; 
and in the old edition it is spelled em or earn. 

Scene 3 

7. Security = freedom from care, false confidence. The 
word comes from the Lat. sine curd, without care. Sine is 
shortened into se, and this gives the adjective securus, 
which originally had the subjective sense of ' free from 
care,' not the objective modern sense of safe. The two 
meanings are well illustrated in a line of Ben Jonson's : — 

'Men may securely sin, but safely never.' 

Gives way to conspiracy, allows conspiracies to 

be formed, makes room for them. 

8. Lover = friend. 

12. Emulation, jealous or malicious rivalry. Cf . Troilus 
and Cressida (II. ii.) : — 

' Whilst emulation in the army crept.' 



Act III] :^OTES 199 

14. The Fates — Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos — divini- 
ties of the unavoidable. Contrive, hatch plots. 

Scene 4 

Brutus has in the meantime told the secret of the con- 
spiracy to his wife, who is distracted by the possession of it. 
She sends off the errand-boy without having first given him 
any message. 

6. Constancy, firmness of purx)ose, of which she had 
boasted to her husband. 

18. Bustling rumor, noise of tumult. Rumor is here 
used in its primary sense of noise. 

20. Sooth, in sooth ; lit. in truth, from O. E. sodh, true. 

31. Know'st thou. ' Thou' towards strangers who were 
not inferiors was an insult. ' If thou thoust him thrice, it 
shall not be amiss' (Tioelfth Night, III. ii.) is the advice 
given to Sir Andrew Aguecheek when on the point of writ- 
ing a challenge. Harm's intended. = that is intended. 

Of. the expression, ' We speak that we do know, and testify 
that we have seen.' 

37. Void == open. 

42. Brutus hath a suit. This is said to lull any sus- 
picions that the boy might be disposed to form from the 
strange conduct of Portia. 

45. Merry had a wider sense in Shakespeare's time. An 
ordinary compliment was, * God rest you merry.' 

ACT THIRD 

Scene 1 

The murder of Cgesar took place in the Curia of Pompey, 
not in the Capitol. But this historical error was a time- 
honored one in England. 



200 NOTES [Act III 

3. Schedule, a small leaf of paper. From Lat. schcclula, 
the diminutive of schecla, a strip of papyrus. 

4. O'er-read, read and attentively consider. 

8. Ourself. Self is here a noun. It is used for myself in 
Shakespeare by persons of high rank. Cf. Richard II. (I. 
iv.):- 

' We will ourself in person to this war. ' 

Served = attended to. 

10. Sirrah. Dr. Schmidt remarks that this word is 
never found in the plural, and that it is 'a compellation 
used in addressing comparatively inferior persons.' Give 
place = make room, get out of this place. 

18. Makes to Csesar, advances towards him. Cf. Sonnet 
LX. i. : - 

'As the waves make towards the pebbled shore.' 

19. Sudden, quick in execution. Cf. King John (lY. i.), 

* Therefore I will be sudden and despatch.' Prevention, 

for Casca was to strike first. Shakespeare uses prevent 
(Lat. prevenire, to come before) in its primary and literal 
sense, as we find it in the Prayer-book, ' Prevent us, O Lord, 
in all our doings.' Cf. Hamlet (II. ii. 305), 'So shall my 
anticipation prevent your discovery.' And in this play 
(V. i. 103). 

21. Cassius or Csesar, etc. = Neither Cassius nor Caesar 
shall ever turn back alive. Either Cassius or Csesar shall 
never return alive. CI. P. S. 

23. Constant, steady, firm in mind. 

28. Presently = now or immediately. But Shakespeare 
also uses it in the modern sense of shortly, soon. Pre- 
fer, present. 

29. Addressed = ready. 

30. Rears, raises. The word is a form of raise. Cf. chair, 
chaise ; O. E. iseyi, iron ; use, enure, etc. The phenomenon of 



Scene 1] NOTES 201 

r changed into s is still more common in Latin, as gero, 
gessi ; uro, ussi ; arbor and arbos, etc. The most usual 
meaning in Shakespeare is that here. 

36. Couching'S, humiliating and cringing attitudes, pros- 
trations. Shakespeare also uses it in the sense of to ' fawn 
in order to obtain something.' 

38. Pre-ordinance and first decree, what has been 
ordained and decreed since the creation of man. 

39. Law of children = mere childish caprices. Be 

not (so) fond, do not be so foolish as. 

42. With = by. This is a very frequent use of vjWi in 
Shakespeare. Thus in Much Ado (V. i.) ' We had our two 
noses snapped off with two old men ;' and in Twelfth Wight 
(I. v.), 'I saw him put down with an ordinary fool.' And 
such phrases as ' Backed with France,' ' Torn to pieces with 
a bear,' and ' Marred with traitors.' 

43. Low-crooked, bending low. 
47. Know . . . satisfied. 

' Know Caesar doth not wrong : nor without cause 
Will he be satisfied.' 

Ben Jonson gives us another version of this passage — 
' Many times he [Shakespeare] fell into those things could 
not escape laughter : as when he said in the person of Cae- 
sar, one speaking to him, " Caesar did never wrong but with 
just cause." ' Again, in the Induction to The Staple of 
News, Jonson makes Prologue say, ' Cry you mercy, you 
never did wrong but with just cause.' It was somewhat 
invidious and ungracious in Jonson to publish such a com- 
ment after Shakespeare's death, and many years after the 
publication of the play, in lohich no such passage appears. 
It may have been altered, or the blunder may have been 
that of a player when Jonson happened to be in the theatre. 
Gifford supposed Shakespeare to have originally written the 
passage thus : — 



202 NOTES [Act III 

' If thou dost bend, and pray, and fawn for him, 
I spurn thee like a cur out of my way. 
Met, Caesar, thou dost me wrong. 
Cces. Caesar did never wrong but with just cause.' 

The passage, as it now stands, Gifford set down as the 
'botchery' of the players, and it wanted, he said, both con- 
gruity and poetry. It is extremely improbable that the 
players should have made any such alteration, Jonson's 
criticism not being published before 1623, and there is in 
reality no incongruity in the passage. Cresar asks what is 
amiss that he must redress, upon which Metellus comes 
forward. Caesar then interrupts him, and assuming that 
Metellus wished to sue on behalf of his brother, who had 
been banished, he spurns him away ; adding 

' Know Caesar doth not wrong: nor without cause 
Will he be satisfied.' 

51. Repealing" (Lat. re, back, and appello, I call) = re- 
calling from exile, a very frequent meaning in Shakespeare. 
Cf. Tioo Gentlemen of Verona (V. iv.) : — 

*Eepeal thee home again.' 

54. Freedom of repeal = liberty to come back, permis- 
sion for Publius Cimber's recall from banishment. Free- 
dom is here used in the sense of franchise or warranted 
right. 

57. Enfranchisement, recall from banishment. Gener- 
ally used by Shakespeare in the sense of release from prison 
or slavery, or of recall from exile. 

58. Well moved = easily persuaded. As = such a 

one as. 

59. If I could pray to move, if my prayers could have 
influence over others. If I could pray others to move from 
their purpose, as you do. CI. P. S. 

61. Resting = not subject to motion or change. 



Scene 1] NOTES 20S 

65. One in all. The pole or northern star. 

67. Apprehensive, of quick intelligence. Shakespeare 
never uses it in the modern sense of fearful. Sometimes it 
means imaginative. 

69. Holds on his rank = keeps his place, and hence is 
firm in his purpose. 

70. Unshaked of motion, unshaken in his motion. 

71. This = this case. 

74. Olympus. The eastern part of the great chain of 
mountains which formed the northern boundary of ancient 
Greece. The extreme eastern part was more specifically 
called Olympus. Its shape was that of a blunt cone, about 
9,700 feet high, and covered with perpetual snow. It was 
the chief seat of the gods. 

75. Bootless kneel, kneel to no purpose. The word 
bootless is connected with the O. E. hetan, to make good or 
bet; boot, to boot, booty, etc. 

76. Speak, hands. Casca invokes the aid of his hands 
to strike a trusty blow. 

77. Et tu. Brute ! = And you too, Brutus ! Accordiug^ 
to Suetonius, Caesar never uttered a word when the con- 
spirators were despatching him. Et tu. Brute ! This ex- 
pression is not in Plutarch, but it occurs in the old play. 
The True Tragedy of Richard Duke of York, on which the 
Third Part of King Henry VI. was founded: ' Et tu, 
Brute, wilt thou stab Caesar, too ? ' 

80. Pulpits, the rostra, from which the orators addressed 
the people. These stood in the Forum. They were called 
rostra (beaks), because they were adorned with the beaks 
of ships and other naval trophies. In III. ii. 65, the phrase 
public chair is used. 

86. Confounded . . . mutiny, dazed with this uproar 
or commotion. 

91. Nor to no = nor to any. The genuine English cus- 
tom is to make negatives intensify each other; the Latia 



204 NOTES [Act III 

idiom is to make them nullify each other. Milton prefers 
the Latin usage : ' Nor did they not perceive him ' = They 
did see him. But Chaucer has as many as four negatives in 
one couplet : — 

' He never yit no vileinye ne sayde 
In al Ws lyf unto no maner wight.' 

94. Abide this deed, await the consequences of this 
deed. 

98. As it . . . Doomsday, the day of doom, or judgment. 
Doom comes from the O. E. deman, which gives also deem 
and denipster (the old word ioY judge, 'which is French, from 
Lat. JUS, right, and dico, I utter. 

101. Stand upon, attach importance to. 

108. Besmear. The ordinary function of the prefix be is 
to change an intransitive into a transitive verb, as deiv, 
bedew; moan, bemoan; iveep, beweep. But here it merely 
intensifies. 

114:. Accents = language. 

116. Pompey's basis, the plinth, or pedestal, on which 
Pompey's statue stood. 

118. Knot, band, because knit together in unity of feel- 
ing. Knit also gives net ; but the k has dropped from the 
older form knet. 

123. A friend of Antony's. After Caesar's assassi- 
nation, the conspirators, according to Plutarch, retired to 
the Capitol, whither they were followed by Antony's son. 

132. Resolved = informed. 

1,37. Thoroug-h = through, spelt so when a dissyllable. 

Shakespeare frequently uses this form for through. Un- 

■trod state which we have now entered upon. 

142. Satisfied, convinced. 

144. "Well to friend, as a good friend to our party. Cf . 
the German zum Freunde. Shakespeare frequently uses to 
in this way. 



Scene 1] XOTES 205 

145. A mind, a presentiment. 

146. And my misgiving-, etc., my presentiment of evli 
always turns out to be very much to the purpose, and is 
therefore to be regarded. CI. P. S. Still = constantly. 

151. Little measure, the size of Csesar's corpse. 
153. Let blood, bled to death, murdered. Shakespeare 
uses this phrase four times. The most striking passage is in 
Richard III. (III. i.) : — 

' Tell him, Catesby, 
His ancient knot of dangerous adversaries 
To-morrow are let blood at Poinfret castle.' 

Rank, quite diseased, and therefore requiring blood 

letting. 

158. Ye . . . you. Ye is the usual nominative, and you 
the objective, in older Eng. Dr. Abbott says, sect. 236, 
' Ye seems to be generally used in questions, entreaties, and 
rhetorical appeals.' But, if an unaccented syllable or an 
unemphatic pronoun is wanted, ye is used. 

159. Reek. O. E. rec. The Low-German form of the 
High-German Ranch. So Edinburgh is called ' Auld 
Reekie,' and the capital of Iceland, ' Reikiavik ' = Smoke 
Town. 

160. Fulfil your pleasure, do what you will with me. 
Were I to live a thousand years. 

161. Apt to die, fit for death, ready to die. 

163. By (= beside) Caesar. By you, the means of 

his death. 

172. The first Fire is a dissyllable; the second a mono- 
syllable. Pity (drives out) pity — pity for Rome causes 

us to have no pity towards her enemy. 

176. In, into our hearts. In in older Eng. was frequently 
used for into, and is so still in Lancashire, and in such 
phrases as ' He threw it in the well.' 

178. Voice shall be as strong, opinion shall have as 
much weight. 



206 NOTES [Act III 

180. Appease, from Fr. a2>P«^s6r; Lat. pace, peace. The 
Lat. verb pacare, to bring to peace, gives the Fr. x>ay-er, 
to pay; the original meaning being, that by payment the 
creditor is brought to a state of peace. 

182. Deliver, tell. 

193. Conceit me, think that I am. Conceit is never used 
by Shakespeare in the modern sense. He uses it with four 
meanings: conception, invention, mental poiver, or parts. 
So, in still older English, ' Dan Chaucer is a conceited 
clerk ' ^ an educated person (clerk) of great ability. 

197. Dearer, more keenly or acutely. Shakespeare uses 
the adjective dear of disagreeable feelings also. Cf. Love's 
Labor's Lost (Y. ii.) : — 

' Deafed with the clamor of then* own dear groans.' 

203, 201. Close in terms = come to terms. Cf. the ordi- 
nary phrase, ' To close with.' 

205. Bayed, brought to bay, as a hunted creature by 
hounds. 

207. Sig-ned, marked by wounds. Spoil appears to be 

a technical term for the division of the prey after it has 
been taken. Lethe. Delius supposes that, as Shake- 
speare elsewhere uses Lethe for one of the rivers of the 
infernal world, he here applies the term to the blood as the 
stream or river of death. But he may have derived it from 
the Lat. letum, death. Pope reads death. 

208, 209. Hart . . . heart, a play upon words, called by 
Coleridge a miserable quibble. 

214. Modesty, moderation. 

217. Pricked in, marked amongst. The ceremony of 
pricking is still used in nominating sheriffs. 

219. Therefore = for that purpose. 

222. Upon (the strength of) this hope. 

224. Savage. From Fr. sauvage ; low Lat. silvaticus ; 
Lat. silva, a wood. Spenser always writes salvage. The 



Scene 1] NOTES 207 

great forests in the valley of the Amazon are called 
Selvas. 

225. Regard, consideration, capable of favorable consid- 
eration. 

231. In the order of, etc., in the regular course of the 
ceremonies which follow each other in order during the 
funeral. 

236. Utter, a verb from out or at. There are very few 
verbs in the English language formed from particles by 
suflixes. Such particles cling most usually to other verbs, 

as doff (= do off), don (= do on), clout {— do out), etc. 

By your pardon, with your leave. 

242. True rites = genuine and usual rites. 

244. Fall, happen. The more usual form is befall. 
Shakespeare sometimes drops the be, while he employs the 
verb as having the force of that prefix. 

258. In the tide of times, since the tide of time began 
to flow. The original meaning of tide was time ; and it is 
the Low-German form of the High-German Zeit. It was 
afterwards appropriated to the regular flow of the sea. 
Shakespeare sometimes uses it in its older sense. Cf. King 

John (III. i.) : — 

'Set 
Among the high tides in the calendar.' 

261. Ope = open. 

265. Cumtoer, lie heavy on, and vex. 

270. All pity (being) choked. With custom = by 

the usualness. Fell = fierce or savage. 

262. At6, the goddess of mischief. ' Where did Shake- 
speare get acquainted with this divinity, whose name does 
not occur, I believe, in any Latin author? ' (Craik.) In the 
Greek tragic writers she is the goddess of vengeance. She 
is four times mentioned by Shakespeare. 

274. Havoc, from Welsh hafog, destruction ; to cry havoc 
meant that no quarter was to be given to a vanquished 



208 NOTES [Act III 

enemy. The word is by some said to be connected with 

hafoc, O. E. for hawk. Let slip, as hounds are slipped 

from the leash. In an old book on the Art of Hunting {Art 
of Venerie) this sentence occurs : ' We let slip a greyhound, ' 
and we cast off a hound.' Dog's of war. In the pro- 
logue to Henry V., Shakespeare calls ' famine, sword, and 
fire ' the hounds of war. 

276. Groaning for burial. It is not an uncommon thing 
in some parts of the country still to say of a corpse which 
begins to show signs of decomposition that * it calls out 
loudly for the earth.' CI. P. S. 

284. Passion, deep grief, sorrow. 

285. Beads. The word comes from 0. E. biddan, to 
pray. Hence the old phrase ' bidding his beads ' — saying 
his prayers. Hence also bedesman, beadle, etc. 

290. No Rome of safety. Play upon the word room 
and the pronunciation of Rome. 

293. The market-place — the Forum Romanum, which 
occupied the low ground extending from the Capitoline Hill 
towards the low ridge of the Velia. Co. S. 

294. Take, look upon or think of. 

Scene 2 

I. Satisfied = have satisfaction and good reasons for the 
assassination of Caesar. 

10. Severally = separately. 

II. Is ascended. Verbs of motion in Shakespeare's 
time were construed with the verb ' to be,' not with the verb 
' to have.' Cf . V. iii. 25 of this play. Shakespeare writes ' is 
escaped,' ' is entered into,' * are marched up,' ' is rode,' ' is 
stolen away,' ' am declined.' (See Abbott, sect. 295.) 

13. Brutus was a Stoic, and disdained popular arts. He 
was brought up by his uncle Cato in the old austere Roman 
manner. He neither showed emotion nor cared to excite it. 
It was said of him that, in speaking Greek, he preferred the 



Scene 2] XOTES 209 

brief, compressed (Lacouic) mode of the Lacedemonians. 
This speech is quite in that character. Lovers, friends. 

16. Censure me, judge my acts. In most instances in 
Shakespeare the noun censure means simply opinion, and 
the verb simply to estimate. In very few passages has it 
the modern meaning of blame. 

17. Awake your senses = keep your ears on the watch 
(= wake). 

27. There is. A plural noun or nouns with a singular 
verb is very common in Shakespeare. But, in fact, es was a 
l^lural in Old English ; it was the plural of verbs in the 
Northern Dialect. Trevisa (writing in the 14th century) 
mentions that the English language was ' a-deled a thre ' — 
that is, into three dialects, the Northern, the Midland, and 
the Southern. The Northern formed the plural of its verbs 
in es ; the Midland in eii ; and the Southern in eth. 

39, 40. The question, etc. How and why he was assas- 
sinated is formally explained and registered in the Capitol. 

Extenuated, lessened. (From Lat. extenvo, I make 

thin.) 

41. Offences enforced, his sins too glaringly exposed, 
or exaggerated. 

59. Grace, honor. 

62. Not a man depart. ' This optative use of the sub- 
junctive, dispensing with let, may, etc., gives great vigor to 
"he Shakespearian line.' (Abbott, sect. 365.) And he quotes 
Othello (I. ii.) : — 

'Judge me the world.' 

65. Chair, the rostra or 'pulpit ' from which Brutus had 
just spoken. 

67. Beholding = beholden, indebted. The form behold- 
ing is found in Shakespeare nineteen times; but beholden 
not once (except in two quarto editions of one play — the 
^la.Y of Richard III.) . 

76. To bury Csesar. As when Shakespeare talks of 



210 NOTES [Act III 

Csesar's ' doublet,' the clock striking, etc., so here he uses 
the customs of his own country. In Rome, bodies were 
burned. 

79. So let it be with Csesar ; that is, let Caesar's good- 
ness be buried with him. 

82. Answered, atoned for. 

89. Brutus is an honorable man. Antony constantly 
brings this statement of opinion regarding Brutus 's charac- 
ter opposite to the statement of some fact favorable to 
Caesar; and thus prepares the way for lessening and at 
length destroying the value of it. 

91. The g-eneral coffers, the public treasury. 

93. "When that. So, as, and that were used as suffixes 
to interrogatives for the purpose of turning them into rela- 
tives. Thus lohoso, whereas, ivhen that. In the same way 
we have if that, though that, lest that, etc. (See Abbott, 
sect. 287.) 

97. The Lupercal was a cave in which Romulus and 
Remus, according to tradition, were found. In this passage, 
'on the Lupercal,' means ' on the Lupercalia' = during the 
feast of, etc. 

122. And none so poor to do him reverence, * And 
(there is) none to do him reverence/so poor (as himself).' 
(Craik.) But the meaning given by Delius is, * And even 
the poorest man thinks himself too good — too superior — to 
show him any respect.' 

129. Than I will wrong. The construction requires 
than to do wrong. 

130. Parchment. From Lat. Pergamena (charta, paper) , 
from Pergamus, in Asia Minor, where it was invented. 

132. Testament. Lat. testamentum, from testis, a wit- 
ness. The phrase loill and testament is one of those double 
phrases — composed of English and Latin words — such as 
assemble and meet together, dissemble nor cloak, aid and 
abet, nature and kind, hunting and venery, etc. 



Scene 2] NOTES 211 

133, I do not mean to read. Here Antony excites their 
curiosity ; and thus, unconsciously to themselves, makes his 
hearers desirous of his friendship. 

138. Bequeath. The transitive verb from the intransi- 
tive quoth. The noun from it, bequest, seems to have taken its 
ending under Latin influence, probably from some confusion 
with qiiest (from qusero, I seek). 

139. Issue = children. 

152. I have o'ershot myself. I have gone too far. 

154. Whose daggers. Here he calls up a strong and 
visible image of the actual stabbing, in order to excite dis- 
gust. The Fourth Citizen is by this time quite conquered. 

169. Bear back = press back. 

174. He overcame the Nervii. This battle was fought 
57 B.C. It was perhaps the most desperate fight in which 
Csesar was ever engaged. The Nervii — according to Plu- 
tarch, * the stoutest warriors of all the Belgse ' — lived in 
French Flanders and Hainault in Belgium. Plutarch adds, 
* They were all in a manner slain in the field.' Antony thus 
appeals to the Romans' love of conquest and military fame. 

180. As rushing = as if rushing. To be resolved = 

to be informed if it were Brutus who, etc. 

193. Flourished = triumphed. Schmidt explains it as 
meaning 'brandished a sword.' But it simply means 'to 
thrive and be prosperous,' while the rest of the state had 
'fallen down.' 

185. Dint = impression. The primary meaning is a 
stroke ; the secondary, an impression of a Mow. 

198. Marred = hacked, mangled. 

205. About ! Let us be off. 

210. Good friends. Antony now restrains them for a 
little, that he may make their rage greater. 

217. I am no orator. Brutus had spoken in a stiff and 
formal manner ; Antony's speech was the merest talk — the 
art which conceals art. 



212 ^WTES [Act III 

221. Wit = ability. The earliest meaning is simply 
knowledge, or the power of knowing. Hence the senses 
were called the Jive wits. See Borneo and Juliet (I. iv.). 
Then it came to mean internal sense, as in Much Ado 
About Nothing (III. v.): 'His arts are not so blunt.' 
Sometimes it means in Shakespeare the imaginative 
faculty, as in Midsummer NighVs Dream (IV. ii.) : 'It is 
past the wit of man to say what dream it was.' Or it means 
common-sense, as in Two Gentlemen of Verona (IV. iv.) : 
* If I had not had more wit than he.' And so the word has^ 
gradually narrowed down to its modern meaning. 

223. Right on = in a straightforward way. 

243. Seventy-five drachmas, about $11. 

250. On this side Tiber. Caesar's gardens and pleasure 
grounds were on the Janiculan Mount, on the farther side 
of the Tiber, not on the side on which the Forum stood, 
where Antony's speech was delivered. North's Plutarch 
led Shakespeare wrong. 

252. To walk abroad (in). Cf. 'Arrive the point pro- 
posed,' I. ii. 112. 

267. Upon a "wish, as soon as I have wished him. 

Scene 3 

2. Charge my fantasy = fill or burden my imagina- 
tion. 

3. Forth = out of. 

9. Directly = straightforwardly. 

12. You were best, it were best for you. The old 
phrase, ' Me were better,' which was — ' It were better for 
me,' was mistakenly changed into ' I were better.' And then 
'You were better' and ' You were best ' were introduced. 
In the same way, the modern ' If you please' is not always 
seen to be = ' If it please you.' 

18. You'll bear me a bang- for that, I owe you. one, or 
you will have a clout from me for that. 



Act IV] NOTES 213 

24. For your dwelling, tell us where you live, 
34. Turn him going-, send him * to the right about.' 

ACT FOURTH 

Scene 1 

The real scene of the meeting was not Rome, but an islet 
in the Reno, near Bologna, about 300 miles north from 
Rome. 

6. Damn him, condemn him to death. CI. P. S. 

12. Slight, unmeritable = insignificant and undeserv- 
ing. The word unmeritable is found in only one other 
place in Shakespeare, Richard III. (III. vii.). 

14. Three-fold world, Europe, Asia, and Africa. 

15. So you thought him fit to have a share in the 
empire. 

17. Proscription. In this proscription there were put to 
death 2,000 knights and 300 senators. 

27. Graze in commons. In is frequently used by 
Shakespeare for on. Cf . Measure for Measure (IV. ii.) : 
' There is written in your brow honesty and constancy ; ' 
and Troilus and Cressida (IV. ii.) : ' Would he were knocked 
in the head.' 

30. Appoint, order, assign. Cf. the phrase 'Armed and 
appointed will' frequently used by Shakespeare. Prov- 
ender =pr6e6ewda, from Latin proebere, to furnish, 
through the Fr. provender. 

31. It, used contemptuously. 

32. To wind, turn, wheel round. 

33. His corporal motion = the motion of his body. 

34. Taste, sense. 

37. Abject orts and imitations. Abject, in the literal 
Latin sense, cast away (from abjicere, to throw away). Oft 
is a word that occurs four times in Shakespeare. * It is a 



214 NOTES [Act IV 

compound word, made up of Old Dutch oor, cognate with 
O. E. or, signifying without or out, and Dutch eteii, cognate 
with Eng. eat. It means what is left in eating, an out- 
morsel, so to speak.' — Skeat. 

38. Staled = made common. 

39. Begin his fashion, are the beginning of a new 
fashion to him. 

40. Property, mere appendage, a piece of stage furni- 
ture. A property-man is one who has the charge of the 
appendages about a theatre. 

42. Levying powers, raising troops. Make head. 

Shakespeare uses the phrases raise head, make head, and 
gather head, for to collect an army. 

44. Stretched out = to the utmost. 

46. How. The verb consult, upon which hoiv depends, 
must be extracted from sit in council. 

47. Answered, met. 

48. At the stake, as a bear or bull that is baited by 
dogs. 

51 . Millions of mischief. So Shakespeare bas * a million 
of manners' (Two Gentlemen of Verona, II. i.) : 'a million 
of beating;' and we speak of the million, for the multitude. 

Scene 2 
7. In his own change of disposition towards me. 

12. Regard and honor towards you. 

13. Doubted, suspected. 

14. Resolved = informed. 

16. Familiar instances, signs, tokens, or marks of 
familiarity. 
23. Hot at hand, hard to be curbed or held in. 

25. Should endure = come to endure. 

26. They fall = let fall. Shakespeare frequently uses 
fall as a transitive verb. Jade, a worthless or Ill- 
trained horse. 



Scene 3] NOTES 215 

27. Sardis, once the capital of Lydia, stood at the foot of 
Mount Tmolus, on the river Pactolus. It is now a heap of 
ruins. 

40. Sober form, unruffled countenance. Shakespeare 
frequently uses/or;/i for behavior. 

41 . Be content, calm yourself. 

42. Griefs = grievances. 

45. Wrangle, a continuative from wring. Wring has, 
as an old past participle, the adjective xorong. 

46. Enlarge = dwell upon them at large, state this to me 
in full. 

48. Charges, divisions, troops the commanders have 
charge of. 

49. A little from = away from. 

Scene 3 

1. That you have ■wronged me. The opening of this 
quarrel scene — one of the poet's most magnificent efforts 
— was suggested by North : ' The next day after, Brutus, 
upon complaint of the Sardians, did condemn and note 
Lucius Pella for a defamed person, that had been a praitor 
of the Romans, and whom Brutus had given charge unto. 
. . . Now, as it commonly happeneth in great affairs be- 
tween two persons, both of them having many friends and 
so many captains under them, there ran tales and com- 
plaints betwixt them. Therefore, before they fell in hand 
with any other maiter, they went into a little chamber, and 
bade every man avoid, and did shut the doors to them. 
Then they began to pour out their complaints one to the 
other, and grew hot and loud, earnestly accusing one 
anothier, and at length fell both a weeping.' 

2. Noted, put a mark or stigma upon, branded with dis- 
grace. 

4. Praving on his side, taking his part. 



216 ^WTES [Act IV 

5. Slighted off = put aside witli easy contempt. 
8 Nice, trifiiug, petty, insignificant. Bear his com- 
ment, be animadverted on. (See Abbott, sect. 356.) 

10. Condemned to have, condemned for having. 

An itching- palm, a greedy desire for money. Cf . Troilus 
and Cressida (II. i.) : — 

' My fingei's itch ' (to strike). 

11. Mart, make traffic of. Ma7't is a contracted form of 
market. 

20. What villain, who of those tliat touched his body 
was such a villain that he stabbed for any other motive 
than justice? CI. P. S. 

30. To hedge me in, to put me under restraint. 

32. Go to, an exclamation of impatience, like our famil- 
iar phrase, Get out! 

36. Have mind upon your health, take care of your- 
self ; I shall have to attack you. 

39. Choler, anger. From Gr. chole, bile, adjective chol- 
eric. Hence, melancholy — black bile. The disease called 
cholera morbus was supposed to be a derangement of the 
biliary organs. 

44. Budge, flinch from my resolution. 

45. Observe you, be always watching and adapting my- 
self to your caprices. 

46. Testy = fretfvil. From O. Fr. teste, the head; from 
Lat. testa, a jar. Cf. the Eng. heady, for rash. 

47. Venom of your spleen, the poison of your anger. 
Venom, from Lat. venomm, poison. Spleen. The old 
writers on physiology made the spleen the seat of the pas- 
sions and emotions. 

52. Vaunting = boasting. From Low Lat. vanitare, 
frf>m vanus, empty. 
75. Indirection, unfair or dishonorable means. Cf. the 



Scene 3] NOTES 217 

use of directly (= straightforwardly) in I. i. 12, and III. 
iii. 9. Cf. also Polonius's statement in Hamlet (II. i. 66) : — 

' By indirections find dii-ections out.' 

80. To lock = as to lock. Rascal = literally the 

scrapings and refuse of anything. Said to come from the 
Icelandic rasA;«, to scrape. A rascal in Shakespeare's time 

also meant a lean deernot fit to hunt or kill. Counters 

here meant money ; literally they are round and flat pieces 
of hone or metal, used in calculations. 

84. Rived, torn or cleft, instead of riven. 

97. Conned by rote, learnt hy heart. Con is a form of 
Icen and of kn-ow. Both come from O. E. cunnan, to know; 
and this word also gives us the words cunning, can, knowl- 
edge, etc. Rote from Lat. rota, a wheel. 

101. Plutus, the god of riches. 

107. Scope, free range. 

108. Humor = a mere passing feeling. 

111. Enforced, struck with violence. 

112. Straight, at once. 

119. Rash humor = quick temper. 

121. Over-earnest — too eager. 

131. Cynic, snarling or rude fellow. But the term comes 
from the Gr. kudn, a dog, and was generally applied to the 
followers of Diogenes, wdio cultivated rude manners. 

133. His fashion, manner, a way he has. 

134. I'll know his humor = I will acknowledge and 
make allowance for his humor, when he chooses the proper 
time to exercise it. 

135. Jig-g-ing fools, doggerel rhymesters. * In Shake- 
speare's time a jig did not always mean a dance ; it some- 
times meant a ballad, and the air to which it was sung.' Cf. 
Hamlet III. ii. 108. 

136. Companion = fellow. The word is used in a con- 
temptuous sense. 



218 NOTES [Act IV 

151. Upon = in consequence of. Impatient . . . 

grief. Impatience and grief were the causes of her death. 
There is here a mixture of two constructions. 

154, Distract. Shakespeare frequently uses the Latin 
past participle in its pure Latin form. But we also find 
English verbs so treated by Shakespeare, as hloat for 
bloated; quit; loaft ; wed; ingraft for ingrafted. Though 
Plutarch and numerous other ancient writers give this 
account of the death of Portia, it is more probable, from 
the correspondence of Cicero and notices in other works, that 
she died of a lingering illness after Brutus had left Italy.' 

165. Call in question, etc., consider the critical position 
in which we are. 

170. Bending their expedition = directing their march 
on Philippi, a city in IMacedonia, founded by Philip, father 
of Alexander the Great ; now called Filibah or Felibejik. 

178. Proscriptions. Here a trisyllable; but two lines 
lower down a quadrisyllable. 

191. Once = at some time or other. 

194. In art. Cassius had learned as much of this hy 
study in the Stoic philosophy as Brutus, but his natural 
strength of mind could not bear it so composedly. 

196. Alive, with the living; they had been talking about 
the dead. 

201. Doing himself offence, doing himself harm. But 
connect offence with defence in the next line. They will 
have been, as it were, fighting against themselves; we shall 
be full of the power of defence. 

202. Nimbleness. From O. E. niman, to take ; it there- 
fore means quickness at taking. The O. E. adjective was 
numol; and the b was introduced between the two liquids 
m and I. 

203. Of force = of necessity. 

205. In a forced affection, not thoroughly well-disposed 
toward us. Affection and contribution have both the -tion 
as a dissyllable. 



Scene 3J NOTES 219 

206. Contribution, supplies of provisions, etc. 

208. By them, through their country. But the next hi/ 

them = hy their help. Make a fuller number up = 

obtain reinforcements. 

214. Tried the utmost = put the most extreme pressure 
upon them. 

221. Bound in shallows = hemmed in by shallows. 

224. Ventures, what we have risked. Venture was in 
Shakespeare's time the technical term for a cargo. So the 
merchants of Bristol called themselves ' Merchant Adven- 
turers.' 

226. The deep of night. Twice used by Shakespeare 
for the middle or stillest part of the night. 

228. Nig-gurd with, take a scanty allowance of. "No 
other writer has ever used niggard as a verb ; and Shake- 
speare has used it so only twice. 

241. Knave = lad. The word knave meant in O. E. sim- 
ply a boy, as Knabe still does in High-German. It is often 
used by Shakespeare as a term of endearment, as in such 
phrases as my good knave, or good my knave, gentle knave, 

my friendly knave, my pretty knave, etc. O'erwatched 

= wearied out with watching. 

242. Other = others. (See Abbott, sect. 12.) 
251. Other-svise bethink me, change my mind. 

255. Much forgetful. Shakespeare and his contempo- 
raries used much with adjectives. We now use it only with 
participles. We find in Shakespeare much guilty, much 
sea-sick, much ill, much sorry, much unequal, much 
sad, etc. 

262. Young bloods = young people. 

267. O murderous slumber. Cf. the celebrated pas- 
sage in Henry IV. (Second Part, III. i.) : — 

' Canst thou, partial sleep, give thy repose 
To the wet sea-boy in an hour so rude, 



220 NOTES [Act V 

And in the calmest and most stillest night 
Deny it to a king ? ' 

and Macbeth II. ii. 35 ff. 

268. Mace, once used for sceptre. 

273. Left = left off. 

275. How ill. ' Brutus boldly asked what he was, a god 
or a man, and what cause brought him hither? The spirit 
answered, " I am thy evil spirit, Brutus, and thou shalt see 
Tue by the city of Philippi." Brutus, being no otherwise 
afraid, replied again unto it, "Well: then I shall see thee 
again." The spirit presently vanished away.' — North's 
Plutarch. 

280. Stare, stand on end. 

289. False. In much the same sense Shakespeare has 
the phrases a false gallop, false Latin, false French, false 
reckonings, false strains, false trait, etc. 

305. Set on his powers betimes, put his troops early 
in motion. 

ACT FIFTH 

Scene 1 

4. Battles, battalions, brigades, or divisions in order of 
Taattle. 

5. Warn = summon or challenge. 

7. Am in their bosoms = am in their confidence, or 
know what they are going to do. 

8. Content,' well pleased. Could = would. CI. P. S. 

10. Fearful bravery, display. Fearful is used by 
Shakespeare in the subjective sense = full of fear; as well 

as in the modern or objective sense of terrible. By this 

face, in this manner, by this display. 

11. Fasten in our thoughts, make us believe. 
IT. Even = level. 

19. Exigent, emergency, exigency. An adjective for a 
noun, as frequently happens in Shakespeare. 



Scene 1] NOTES 221 

24. Answer on their charge, attack them when they 
attack us. 

25. Make forth = set out. 

33. The posture of, etc., = the direction and force. But 
Dr. Schmidt suggests nature. Are is wrong for is. 

3i. Hybla. There were three places of the name in 
Sicily. It was unknown which of them was famed for 
honey. The bees fed on the thyme which grew on the hills, 
hence the honey's exquisite flavor. 

41. Fawned like hounds. This is based upon Plutarch^ 
' They all made as though they were intercessors for him, and 
took Csesar by the hands, and kissed his head and breast.' 

46. This tongue would have been silenced in death if 
Cassius's advice had been taken. 

48. The cause = the business on which we have come. 

51. Goes up, is sheathed. 

52. Csesar's three-and- thirty wounds. Theobald re- 
duced the number of wounds to three-and- twenty, as given 
by Plutarch, Appian, and Suetonius. As Shakespeare fol- 
lowed Plutarch so closely in details, the higher number 
is probably a printer's error. 

53. Another Ceesar have added slaughter to = 
another Caesar (myself) have fallen by the sword of 
traitors. 

58. Strain = race ; from O. E. strynan, to beget ; still in 
use, but only applied to dogs, horses, etc. 

59. Honorable. Adjective for adverb. 

60. A peevish school-boy. Octavius was only twenty- 
one years of age. Peevish has generally in Shakespeare the 
meaning of childish and thoughtless. 

61. A masker and a reveller. See I. ii. 205, and II. ii. 
116. 

65. Stomachs, inclination, appetites. . 
70. As = on. ' As is apparently used redundantly with 
definitions of time (as hos is used in Greek, with respect to 



222 1^0 TES [Act V 

motion). It is said by Halliwell to be an eastern counties' 
phrase.' (See Abbott, sect. 114.) 

75. Held Epicurus strong-, had great faith in the doc- 
trines of Epicurus. Epicurus (born 342 b.o.) regarded 
liuman happiness as the end of philosophy. The summum 
bonutn consisted in tranquillity and peace of mind. 

77. Do presage = that point out the future. 

78. Former = foremost. 
81. Consorted = attended. 

85. As = as if. (See Abbott, sect. 107.) 

86. Canopy. From Gr. konopeion, a covering against a 
Jcdnops, Gr. for mosquito. 

88. I but believe it partly = I believe it but partly. 
90. Very constantly, with the greatest firmness. 

104. Time of life, natural term of our existence. 

105. Stay = await. Shakespeare more usually employs 
stay in this sense with on or upon. 

Scene 2 

I. Bills, notes, written directions, general orders. 
3. Set on, attack. 

Scene 3 

3. Ensig-n, standard-bearer. The word ensign, from the 
!Lat. adjective insignis, distinctive or well-marked. 

4. It, the standard-eagle, which he carried. 

6. Advantag'e on, instead of over. 

7. Fell to spoil, began to plunder. 

8. Enclosed, surrounded. 

II. Far off, probably for farre, the old comparative of 
far, and so found in Chaucer, as nerre and derre are for 
nearer and dearer. 

19. With a thought = quick as thought. 
21. Thick = dim. 



Scene 3] NOTES 223 

25. His compass, its circular course. 

29. Make to him, etc., that are liastening to him, 

38. Swore thee, made thee swear. Saving- of thy 

life = in saving thy life. Saving is here the verbal noun, 
which originally ended in ung. It was then written with 
ing, and thus frequently confused with the present partici- 
ple. Prefixed to this was the old preposition an (on), which 
was pared down to a (' While the ark was a preparing ') , 
and then vanished altogether. 

41. Be a freemian = earn your freedom by putting me to 
death. 

42. Search, pierce. 

51. Change, the ups and downs of fortune. 

68. Apt, impressionable. 

84. Misc6nstrued = misinterpreted. 

88. Regarded, respected. 

89. This, the act of suicide, is the part (= duty) of a 
Roman. 

96. In = into. Own proper — a tautology. Shake- 
speare uses proper for own, as in Tempest (III. iii. 60) : 
' Men hang and drown their proper selves.' There are four 
instances of the double phrase own proper. 

101. Breed thy fellow, produce another like thee. 

104. Thassos, an island now called Thaso, in the ^Egean 
Sea, off the Thracian coast. — The latter touching portion of 
this grand and truly Roman panegyric is wholly Shake- 
speare's. The first part is from North : * So when he was 
come thither, after he had lamented the death of Cassius, 
calling him the last of the Romans, being impossible that 
Rome should ever breed again so noble and valiant a, man as 
he, he caused his body to be buried.' 

105. Funerals. Shakespeare uses this word only twice in 
the plural. 

106. It refers to /minerals. 

109, 110. Ere night ... a second fight. As a matter 



224 NOTES [Act V 

of fact, the second battle of Philippi was fought twenty days 
after the first. 

Scene 4 

2. What bastard doth not? Who is so base-born as 
will not? 

8. Know me for Brutus. For this use of for cf . Ham- 
let (IV. vii. 2) : ' You must put me in your heart for friend ' ; 
and V. i. 196, where Hamlet talks of Yorick : ' A pestilence 
on him for a mad rogue ! ' 

12. Only I yield to die, I yield only to die. Cf. this 
position of only with that of hut in V. i. 88. 

32. Is chanced, has happened or fallen out. 

Scene 5 

13. That noble vessel. Cf» Winter's Tale (III. iii.) : — 

' I never saw a vessel of like sorrow 
So filled and so becoming'.' 

And in several passages woman is spoken of as 'the weaker 
vessel.' 

15. List = listen. 

42. But labored to attain = labored but to attain. 

46. Smatch, tincture. This is the only instance of this 
word in Shakespeare. The word is probably a form of 
smack. Cf. hake, hatch; inake, match; wake, watch. 

59. Lucilius' saying true. Lucilius had said (V. iv. 21, 
22) that ' no enemy shall ever take alive the noble Brutus.' 

60. Entertain them, take them into my service. 

61. Bestow ~ invest, put to use. 

62. Prefer = recommend. Cf . CymbeUne (IV. ii.) : * The 
emperor's letters should not sooner than thine own worth 
prefer thee.' 

68. He. Dr. Schmidt says that Shak. .peare never uses 



Scene 5] NOTES 225 

save as a preposition governing the objective, but only as an 
adverb. 

71. Common g-ood to all, ' It was said that Antonius 
spake it openly divers times, that he thought that of all 
of them that had slain Csesar, there was none but Brutus 
only that was moved to do it as thinking the act commenda- 
ble of itself ; but that all the other conspirators did conspire 
his death for some private malice or envy that they otherwise 
did bear unto him.' — North's Plutarch. 

77. His bones, his corpse. Shakespeare frequently uses 
bones in this sense. 

79. The field, the army in the field. 

80. Part =: share. 



"HQ 



examinatio:n^ papers 



1. "Write a short account of the action of the play. 

2. Explain and illustrate by quotations the main differ- 
ences between the characters of Brutus and Cassius. 

3. State by whom, of whom, and on what occasions the 
following lines were uttered : — 

(a) His coward lips did from their color fly. 
(6) He is a great observer, and he looks 
Quite through the deeds of men. 

(c) Nor airless dungeon, nor strong links of iron, 
Can be retentive to the strength of spirit. 

(d) Let's carve him as a dish fit for the gods, 
Not hew him as a carcass fit for hounds. 

(e) A woman well reputed, Cato's daughter. 

4. Explain and annotate the following words and phrases: 
To stale icith ordinary oaths ; hearts of controversy ; 
promised forth ; crossed in conference ; the cross blue light- 
ning ; monstrous quality; the element; men cautelous ; 
charactery . 

5. Give six examples of compound adjectives in Julius 
Csesar. 

6. Give some instances of words formed like rabblement. 

7. What ' sights ' were seen in the streets of Rome before 
Csesar's death? Quote some of the lines. 

B 

1. Write a short account of Antony's speech over the dead 
body of Caesar, 

226 



EXAMINATION PAPERS 227 

2. What were (a) the political and (6) the private reasons 
for the murder of Csesar ? 

3. State by whom, of whom, and on what occasions the 
following lines were uttered : — 

(a) Let not our looks put on our purposes. 
(&) Thou hast no figures nor no fantasies. 

(c) O world, thou wast the forest to this hart. 

(d) I am compelled to set 
Upon one battle all our liberties. 

(e) There are no tricks in plain and simple faith. 

4. Continue the above quotations. 

5. Explain and annotate the following words and phrases : 
Performed faculties ; drop hy lottery ; palter ; even virtue ; 
cognizance ; fond ; repeal ; groaning for burial ; oris and 
imitations ; indirection ; entertain them. 

6. Write the story of the action in Act V. 

7. Quote passages to illustrate Shakespeare's use of ivith ; 
of that followed by as ; of double superlatives and com- 
paratives. 

C 

1. State the parts played (a) by Mark Antony, (6) by 
Casca, and (c) by Strato in the play ; and quote some lines 
uttered by each of them on some critical occasion. 

2. In what localities do the events in the different Acts 
take place ? Quote lines to prove your statements. 

3. By whom, of whom, and on what occasions were the 
following lines uttered ? 

(a) The angry spot doth glow on Caesar's brow. 
(6) O, he sits high in all the people's hearts. 

(c) So let high-sighted tyranny range on. 

(d) But I am constant as the northern star. 

(e) He shall but bear them as the ass bears gold. 



228 EXAMINATION PAPERS 

(/) There is a tide in the affairs of men. 
(g) In Parthia did I take thee prisoner. 

4. Annotate the above lines, and continue them. 

5. Quote instances of Shakespeare's (a) habit of ellipsis, 
and (6) use of an adjective for a preposition and a noun 
(as in sterile curse). 

6. Explain the following words and phrases : The replica- 
tion; your passion ; jealous on me ; I have some aim ; well- 
given ; quick mettle ; bear me hard ; prevent ; the main 
opinion ; liable ; freedom of repeal ; o'ershot myself. 

D 

1. Describe briefly the events and actions which take 
place in the Third Act. 

2. Write a short analysis of Mark Antony's speech. 

3. By whom, of whom, and on what occasions were the 
following lines uttered ? 

(a) Set honor in one eye and death i' the other. 
(6) Why old men fool and children calculate. 

(c) Our yoke and sufferance show us womanish. 

(d) She dreamt to-night she saw my statua. 

(e) One that feeds 
On abject orts and imitations. 

(/) When think you that the sword goes up again? 

4. Continue the above lines. 

5. Explain and annotate the following words and phrases : 
Set our battles on ; Messala will prefer me ; the posture of 
your blows ; humor ; a property ; beholding ; in his funeral ; 
let blood ; addressed. 

6. Give some instances of Shakespeare's use of a double 
negative. 



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